State on Italian territory. Brief information about Italy

Italy is one of the most interesting, unique, beautiful countries in the world. It is unlikely that there will be anyone who will dare to challenge this statement, because... this country has its own unique character, its own flavor and, one might say, its own characteristic temperament. Italy is a maritime, mountainous country, located in the south of Europe from the Alps to the Mediterranean Sea, it occupies a fairly vast territory: the islands of Sicily, the Apennine Peninsula, Sardinia. It also has access to several seas at once: Tyrrhenian, Ionian, Adriatic, Ligurian, which are part of the Mediterranean Sea. Italy is a classic country for tourists. It is simply impossible to see all the sights of the once powerful Roman Empire in a short period. Therefore, anyone who has been here at least once will strive to return to Italy again. In addition to countless cultural monuments and ruins of ancient Roman civilization, the country has excellent natural conditions - snow-white slopes of the Alpine mountains, beautiful beaches of the Adriatic and Mediterranean coasts and the charming lakes of the north.
The rich, centuries-old history of this country and each of its cities attract millions of tourists every year like a magnet. Among the most famous landmarks of Rome, the capital of Italy, " eternal city", which is more than 3 thousand years old, include the Pantheon Temple, the Colosseum, the Forum, the Caracalla Baths, the Arc de Triomphe, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Capitoline Museum, the National Museum. In Milan there is the famous opera La Scala, the Church of San Ambrogio, monastery with the fresco "The Last Supper". The city-museum of Venice is unique, the historical center of which is located on 118 islands with 400 bridges. The famous "Leaning Tower" is also located in Italy, in the picturesque town of Pisa. In general, the geography of Italy is unique in its meaning, tourism thrives here all year round, since in summer you can relax on one of the 5,000 Italian beaches, and in winter lovers active rest can head to the mountains and have a great time at one of the many ski resorts in Italy, which leave the same lasting impressions as the beaches of Italy.
Indescribable in words beautiful nature Italy, no doubt great story- That's not all… Italian Cuisine is another “highlight” of this country. There is hardly a person who does not like the national dishes of Italy - pasta, spaghetti of all kinds, ravioli, minestrone soups, grated Parmesan cheese, risotto and many, many other delicacies, as well as excellent Italian wines of various varieties. Do you want bright, unforgettable sensations, new impressions, a great vacation, exotic things and much more? Then welcome to Italy, here there is absolutely everything you can dream of!

Geography

The area of ​​Italy is 301 thousand square meters. km. Italy is a typical Mediterranean country located in the central part of Southern Europe. Its territory includes the Padana Lowland, the slopes of the Alpine mountain arc facing it, the Apennine Peninsula, large islands Sicily and Sardinia and numerous small islands (Egadi, Lipari, Pontine, Tuscan archipelago, etc.). In the north, on the mainland, Italy borders France, Switzerland, Austria and Yugoslavia. In the south it (through the Strait of Tunis) neighbors Africa. The Apennine Peninsula juts deep into the Mediterranean Sea. The coasts of Italy are washed by the seas: in the west - the Ligurian and Turrenian, in the south the Ionian, in the east the Adriatic.
More than half of the country's territory is located on the Apennine Peninsula. In the north are located Italian Alps with the highest point of the country - Mount Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) (4807 m). On the territory of Italy there are also Monte Rosa (4634 m) and Monte Cervino (4478 m). Between the Alps and the Apennines lies the vast Lombardy (Padan) plain, including the Po River valley. The Apennines stretch from the Gulf of Genoa to the Gulf of Tarentum in Calabria. The highest point of the Apennines is Mount Corno (2914 m); Only about a third of the country's territory is occupied by plains. In addition to the Lombardy Plain, this coast Adriatic Sea, as well as three narrow flat strips along the west coast: Campania di Roma, Pontine Marshes and Maremma. On the island of Sicily, which is separated from the mainland by the narrow Strait of Messina, there is an active volcano Etna (3323 m). A large number of rivers flow through Italy, the most important of which are the Po and Adige, located in the north of the country and flowing into the Adriatic Sea. The Tiber and Arno flow on the peninsula itself. Italy also has a large number of lakes, the largest being Garda, Lago Maggiore, Como and Lugano in the north and Trasimeno, Bolsena and Bracchiano in the south.

Time

Italian time differs from Moscow time by 2 hours.

Climate

Temperate in the north and subtropical Mediterranean in the center and southern regions.
The diversity of Italy's climate is determined by the length of its territory in longitude and the mountainous terrain of most of the country. On the Padan Plain, the climate is transitional from subtropical to temperate - hot summers (July from +22°C to +24°C) and cool, foggy winters (January - about 0°C). In the central regions of the Apennine Peninsula, the climate is subtropical, with hot (from +24-27°C in the north to +26-32°C in the south) summers and warm (on average not lower than +5°C) winters. Due to the peculiarities of the country's topography, the air temperature strongly depends on the altitude of the place above sea level - even in the suburbs of Rome or Turin, gently running up the foothills, it is always 2-3 degrees colder than in the city center. And in the pre-alpine regions this picture is even brighter - at the foot of the snow-capped mountains, citrus fruits bear fruit almost all year round.
In the highlands of the Alps and Apennines, the climate varies from temperate at the foot of the mountains to cold at the peaks. Temperature decreases with altitude and day-to-day contrasts increase. In the mountains, snow lasts up to 6 months, on the peaks it lies constantly, and heavy snowfalls are frequent from October to May.
In the south of the peninsula, from March to October, dry hot winds blow from the Sahara - “sirocco” or “shirocco”. During this period, the temperature rises to +35°C, and at the same time the dryness and dustiness of the air sharply increases. Cold northern or northeastern “tramontana” winds blowing from across the Apennines are also common (mostly in winter).
Sardinia has a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and short warm winters, very favorable for visiting the island at any time. The summer heat (in Cagliari in July the temperature often reaches +32-38°C, in winter - +18-22°C) is moderated by steady sea winds. The only inconvenience of the local climate is low humidity (short-term heavy downpours occur only in winter, while in summer not a drop of rain often falls, the average monthly precipitation does not exceed 70 mm). The tourist season here lasts from May to September, but in April and October the weather conditions are quite favorable both for relaxing by the sea and for active pastime.
The climate in Sicily is also Mediterranean, very similar to Sardinia, but even hotter in summer and slightly cooler in winter. There is little precipitation (up to 500 mm per year), mainly from October to March. At the same time, the difference in weather conditions (both in temperature and humidity) between the coast and the interior of the island is clearly visible - in the mountainous areas it is always somewhat cooler and rainier than on the coast, and the western slopes of the mountains receive on average 2 times more precipitation, than the eastern ones. Such a noticeable variety of climate makes visiting the island convenient at any time of the year.
The least precipitation falls in summer (from June to August no more than 15 mm), the most from October to February (on average 80 mm, in some places more than 100 mm). The water temperature in the period from January to April is 14...16 degrees, from May to August it rises from 16...17 to 25...26, after which it gradually decreases, remaining quite comfortable until October (23...25 degrees), in November and December its value is 18...21 degrees.

Language

The official language is Italian. English and French are understood almost everywhere in hotels, restaurants, and travel agencies. The German language is understood primarily in resort areas in the northern Adriatic and lakes. The Russian language is well understood by souvenir sellers in shops located in Rome, in the Colosseum area and in other places.

Religion

The predominant religion in Italy is Catholicism, practiced by approximately 98% of the population.
The center of the Catholic world is the city-state of the Vatican (the residence of Pope John Paul II is located there). He's in line Italian capital Rome, on the Monte Vaticano hill. The Vatican was established as an independent state in 1929 in accordance with the Lateran Agreements between the Italian government and the Pope.
Italy is a country in which the Catholic Church is very strong, and this is not surprising: from 1929 to November 26, 1976, Catholicism was considered the state religion of Italy. In Italy, at present, the church is officially separated from the state, and regulates its relations with the state through special agreements and laws, in particular the “New Concordat” of 1984. The Italian Constitution divides all religions into two categories: Catholic, with which the state concludes a Concordat, and non-Catholic religions.

Population

According to the latest census, the population of Italy is 56.74 million people, of which 94% are Italians. The entire population of Italy historically dates back to various local ethnic groups, therefore the corresponding subethnic groups are still distinguished (Sicilians, Sardinians, Tuscans, Calabrians, Ligurians, etc.). Also in Italy live a significant number of people from other European countries - Germans, French, Albanians, etc. About 3 million Italians live outside the country.
The national minorities of Italy are fairly compact groups that have lived for many centuries in a certain territory. In the north of the country in the border areas live Romansh (mainly Friuls) - 350 thousand people, French - about 70 thousand people, Slovenes and Croats - about 50 thousand people; in southern Italy and on the island of Sicily - Albanians (about 80 thousand people); in the south of the country - Greeks (30 thousand people); on the island of Sardinia - Catalans (10 thousand people); Jews (about 50 thousand people), etc.

Electricity

Voltage 220 V, 50 Hz. "European" type sockets: an adapter is required.

Emergency numbers

Help phone number - 100

carabinieri (police) - 112

accidents - 113

ambulance - 118

fire brigade - 115

vehicle technical assistance - 116

Connection

Telephone communication: Italian code - 39. Most payphones work using cards, which are sold in newspaper and tobacco kiosks. Price - 5000-15000 ITL. Before inserting the card into the payphone slot, you need to break off a corner of it. From the bar you can call with a 200 lira coin. From 22.00 to 8.00 and on weekends there is a reduced rate. Emergency number - 113. Police - 112. Ambulance— 118. Reference — 100.
Internet: network services are excellently developed in Italy - in almost all airports, large hotels, shopping streets, some supermarkets, restaurants and others in public places you can find both Internet cafes and points wireless access. Most of the city's Internet cafes are owned by Telecom Italia www.telecomitalia.com and therefore use almost the same prices (only on the islands the rates are slightly higher, but not significantly). GPRS roaming is provided to subscribers of major Russian operators through several local companies.
Cellular: network mobile communications covers almost the entire territory of Italy with the exception of some alpine areas and small islands. Roaming with local operators Telecom Italia SpA www.tim.it/inglese/index.html (TIM, GSM 900/1800, 3G 2100), Vodafone Omnitel N.V. www.vodafone.it (GSM 900/1800, 3G 2100), Wind Telecomunicazioni SpA www.wind.it (GSM 900/1800, 3G 2100) and H3G www.h3g.it (3G 2100) is available to subscribers of the main Russian operators. Cellular communications are increasingly replacing landlines in all areas of local life, and it is almost impossible to see an Italian without a mobile phone. However, local networks and international calls in roaming are not cheap and are also charged according to a rather confusing scheme. In most cases, it is much more profitable to purchase SIM cards from local operators (sold in department stores, telephone company offices and post offices) than to use roaming. Even an international call from a hotel is often cheaper than a cell phone.

Currency exchange

The monetary unit of Italy is the Italian lira (Lira), abbreviated L. Banknotes in circulation are in denominations: 100,000, 50,000, 10,000, 5,000, 2,000, 1000 L and coins - 500, 200, 100, 50, 20.5 L. Only the Vatican Lira is accepted in the Vatican. Euro checks are valid for up to L300,000 (approximately $160).
$1 is approximately equal to 1,700 L as of May 2000. A small amount of currency can be exchanged at airports, the exchange rate is good here, especially in Fiumicino, but it is most profitable to use banks, but their opening hours are not very convenient. In shops and hotels the exchange rate is usually unfavorable. Italian banks are open from 8:30 to 17:00, lunch break from 13.00/13.30 to 15.00/16.00, days off: Saturday, Sunday.

Visa

Italy is part of the countries participating in the Schengen agreement. Citizens of Russia and the CIS require a visa to visit Italy. All foreign citizens who intend to enter Italy must, at the first request of authorized persons, present upon entry into the country documents confirming the motivation and duration of the period of stay, as well as, in certain cases, the availability of sufficient financial means and proof of housing.
Children over 14 years of age must have their own passport. If a child is included in the parent's passport, his photograph must be pasted on the corresponding page of the passport - in order to avoid misunderstandings when crossing the Italian border. For children included in the parent’s international passport, a separate visa.
Visa-free transit through Italy is prohibited, unless the tourist has a valid Schengen visa and documents confirming the advisability or necessity of transit through Italian territory. To obtain a transit visa, you need almost the same set of documents as for a tourist visa. However, in this case, instead of an invitation or hotel reservation and receipt orders, the following are provided:
- visa of the state that is the final destination;
- air tickets, railway tickets or documents for personal vehicles;
- documents confirming the expediency or necessity of transit through the territory of Italy (for example, tickets to the country that is the final destination, or a detailed route, or confirmation of booking tickets to a third country, etc.).
The standard visa processing time is 4 working days. However, in high season it can be extended to 2 weeks. For tourist and business trips, a Schengen visa category “C” is issued with a maximum stay in the country of up to 90 days within six months. Single, double and multiple entry visas valid for up to 1 year are issued. The specific number of days allowed for stay in the country is established by the consular service in accordance with the periods specified in the invitation or hotel reservation. Consular fee for tourist or transit visa is 35 euros. In urgent cases, it is possible to obtain a visa urgently; the fee is doubled and amounts to 70 euros.

Customs regulations

Italian border guards at customs are generally guided by the usual import and export regulations adopted in most European countries. If your luggage seems suspicious to them, they can inspect it. Italian customs authorities may carry out random controls upon entry into Italy, always in the presence of the passenger.
You can import goods worth up to $140 US duty free into Italy. In addition to things for personal use, you can also import 300 cigarettes, 1.5 liters of spirits, 10 liters of wine, 75 ml of perfume duty free.
As for currency, no formalities are required to import 20 million Italian liras. If this figure is exceeded, you must fill out a special customs form “B2” and present it when leaving Italy. To export national currency over 1,000,000 Italian liras and foreign currency over 5,000,000 Italian liras, you will need a declaration.
In addition to personal belongings, every citizen of a non-European Union country entering Italy can bring jewelry, two cameras, one video camera, one radio, one tape recorder, one bicycle, one boat (can be motorized), two pairs of skis, two tennis rackets, one kayak, one surfboard.
To import hunting weapons into Italy, you need permission from the Italian consular office, which must be endorsed upon entry. Souvenirs worth no more than 67,000 lire ($30) can be exported duty-free from Italy. The transit of historical valuables and documents is prohibited without accompanying and permitting documents or a sales receipt and permission from the Ministry fine arts Italy. To import professional equipment, commercial samples, and goods for display at exhibitions into Italy, a special permit is required. There are no restrictions on the import of liras and other currencies. You can freely export up to 10 thousand € or an equivalent amount in other currencies. The export of large amounts must be authorized by customs authorities.

Holidays and non-working days

January 1 (New Year's Day), January 6, Easter Monday (the day after Easter), Easter Sunday (On this day, the Pope blesses the crowd gathered in the square in front of St. Peter's Basilica. Easter is usually celebrated with friends, and the next day, regardless of weather (on the Easter new moon the weather usually deteriorates) a large family picnic is arranged.), April 25 (Day of Liberation from Fascism), May 1 (Labor Day), June 2 (Day of the Proclamation of the Republic, celebrated with a military parade in Rome), August 15 (Assumption (ferragosto)), November 1 (All Saints' Day, a day of remembrance and honor to ancestors), November 5, December 8 ( Immaculate Conception), 25 (Christmas, the most beloved and solemn holiday, is usually celebrated at home, with family and friends), December 26 (St. Stephen's Day). In addition, every city and village celebrates the day of its saint: Rome - Peter, Milan - Ambrose, Turin - John, etc. In July and August, many companies stop working and close for the holidays. For Christmas and New Year they may also not work. When planning a business trip and the timing of business negotiations, these features must be taken into account.

Transport

The urban transport system in Italy is extremely developed. Buses and taxis run throughout Italy, there is a metro, as well as a typical Italian water transport, which is represented by gondolas and river taxis. The latter are very popular among tourists who enjoy riding in a river taxi and, of course, in a gondola. The first seats four people and, like a regular taxi, measures the footage. Parking lots are everywhere in the city. The price for a gondola is about 80 thousand liras for a 50-minute trip during the day and 110 thousand at night.
In Italy, whose borders are washed by more than 90% of the seas and in which most of the territory is coastal areas, the coastal fleet is also important in the internal transport of passengers and especially cargo. Among the sectors of Italian transport, the maritime fleet is of great interest, which is the largest international carrier and is important for the development of Italian foreign trade. Through sea ​​ports passes 90% of goods arriving in Italy for imports and 55-60% for exports. The Italian merchant marine fleet performs the most important national economic functions. This is the main reason that it is overwhelmingly under state control.
Railway transport could not stand the fight against such a powerful competitor and was in a state of crisis for a long time. Only in last years, the state that owns 82% railways, began to invest capital in their enhanced development. Some lines have been modernized, the Rome-Florence high-speed railway (“Diretettissima”) has been built, on which trains can reach speeds of up to 200-260 km per hour, this route forms part of the future high-speed highway connecting Milan with Florence, Rome, Naples. The total length of railways is 19.8 thousand km (including sidings), of which 10.2 thousand km are electrified.
Cars are also extremely popular in Italy. Out of 293 thousand km. About half of the roads are in Northern Italy. Italy has 1/4 of all European motorways (about 6 thousand km), including the world's oldest motorway, Milan-Varese, built in 1924. home transport artery countries - the Motorway of the Sun, running through the whole of Italy, from Turin through Milan, Florence, Rome, Naples to Reggio Calabria. Five international highways pass through Italy: London-Paris-Rome-Palermo, London-Lausanne-Milan-Brindy, Rome-Berlin-Oslo-Stjordan, Rome-Vienna-Warsaw, Amsterdam-Basel-Genoa. The Italian vehicle fleet numbers over 20 million vehicles, including about 18 million passenger cars.
There are two metro lines in Rome. Line A, 18 km long, connects the city center from Ottaviano near the Vatican to the eastern outskirts of the city, passing through Cinecitta (Anagnia). Line B runs north to the city outskirts (Rebbibia) and to EUR, a modern industrial complex in the south. The lines intersect at Termini. You can buy a special ticket, it is called a “big” ticket, with it you can travel both by bus and by metro during the day on any line. The Milan metro is considered the best in Italy. MM consists of two branches (1 and 2) and serves the city and its outskirts. Tourists usually use the 1, heading south near Stazione Centrale via Piazza del Maria della Grazie. Tickets are sold from vending machines at each station and are valid for 1 hour. 10 min. A one-day ticket allows you to use all types of transport.

Tips

Despite the widespread use of “complex prices”, which include payment for all services, in Italy it is customary to tip 10-15% of the order amount. Sometimes the menu states that the service charge is already included in the price. Tipping is not accepted when serving at the counter. But if a tourist sits down at a bar table even for a minute, he will also need to pay a restaurant fee, which will almost double the cost of the order. Waiters, taxi drivers - up to 10%, in hotels, maids and head restaurant waiters, porters - before departure. In museums and galleries - for personal display of exhibits.

The shops

Italy and shopping are identical things for the majority of the female population. In Italy, there is a fairly clear pattern: the further south the city is, the lower prices will be there. Moreover, if you try, in the provinces you can find small shops in wholesale warehouses selling “pret-a-porte” collections of famous fashion designers at prices much lower than in large cities. The most popular Italian cities for shopping trips are Milan, Naples, As for luxury brands, the most reasonable prices will be offered to you in Roman boutiques. In the capital of Italy, the fashion industry has conquered an entire quarter. In Italy, a system of seasonal discounts is common, especially in spring. From January 7 to March 1 there is a general sale in Italy. You will receive one in most stores for purchases worth more than 150 euros. At customs you must put a stamp on the receipt upon presentation of the goods. Therefore, it is better not to pack it in your suitcases before customs. Save 15% on the cost of goods you bought in Italy. You can get this discount through a tax refund system on goods purchased by non-EU residents that they take out in their luggage.
Italy is the European “Mecca” for fashionistas of all stripes. Armani, Gianfranco Ferre, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana - these sounds make the hearts of many connoisseurs of style, quality and a prestigious label skip a beat. Numerous famous centers for the production of high-quality clothing, shoes and other leather goods, luxury goods have brought extraordinary fame to Italy. That's why thousands of fashion hunters are drawn here, since prices are more acceptable than here, you can hardly find anywhere else in the world.

National cuisine

National dishes and drinks of Italy, the so-called la cucina Romana, is a cuisine whose formation took place over a long period of time under the influence of the countries surrounding Italy.
Much to the surprise of tourists, pizza is not the main dish of the national cuisine and is popular mainly among tourists. Pizza, now famous throughout the world, was once a poor man's dish - a flatbread with tomatoes and spices, sometimes with cheap cheese. Over time, however, cooks learned to give it a piquant, sometimes exquisite taste, using champignons, various seafood, artichokes and even pineapples in their recipes. Pizza should be eaten in Naples, fried on logs in special ovens with a brick tray.
Today, Italian cuisine is a rich set of dishes with a variety of products. Vegetables are widely used - lettuce, celery, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, artichokes, eggplant, spinach. It’s not for nothing that they say that any Italian meal should always begin with Insalata. Moreover, salad is not served as a side dish with hot dishes. A healthy mixture of raw vegetables such as celery, fennel, carrots, etc., the Romans dubbed Cazzimperio. In the north of the country, dishes made from chicken, veal, and lean pork are popular. Moreover, minced meat is used only for preparing sauces; for other dishes, whole portioned pieces of meat are usually used. The preparation and consumption of food in many cafes turns almost into a sacred rite: before you place an order, the waiter dressed in a tailcoat will show you which piece of meat will be cut from to prepare the dish you ordered or demonstrate the fish so that you can be sure of its quality.
The Italians' weakness is olives. They are served with any dishes. In the south, lobsters, lobsters, shrimps, and various shellfish, including cuttlefish, are eaten. By the way, the ability to cook cuttlefish deliciously is one of the main criteria in assessing the skill of a cook. In the north, veal, chicken, and lean pork are very popular. Meat is usually served in its natural form, minced only for sauces. In many cafes, waiters wear tailcoats, and before you place an order, they will show you which piece of meat will be cut from and demonstrate the fish on offer. Everything is usually washed down with Chianti or other table wines. Not to be confused with Cinzano and Martini - they are drunk before meals, these are aperitifs.
Cheese is traditionally widely used everywhere. Parmesan, Gorgonzola, mozzarella, pecorino (from sheep's milk) and many other varieties. It is fried, added to various main dishes and sauces, and served for dessert. It is believed that it binds all the components of food and gives it a special taste. After the hearty dishes, it’s time for dessert - “dolci”. The list of what is served for dessert is truly impressive: there is “Zabaione”, “zuppa inglese” (rum sponge cake with vanilla cream), and cottage cheese and coffee tiramisu, and different kinds lemon cake, and “semifreddo” of very chilled cream. And of course there are many varieties of ice cream - “gelato”.
Finish the meal with espresso coffee - strong, black, or cappuccino - coffee with whipped cream. The most famous of Tuscan wines is considered Chianti and its best brand is Classico, and the most popular brand of Sicilian wines is a strong wine with a velvety taste - Marsala; Some of the best Neapolitan wines are Tears of Christ (Lacrima Christi) and Capri. To appreciate their taste and bouquet, it is worth trying both their red and white varieties. No less famous are Cabernet, produced from grapes growing in the province of Veneto, as well as Frascati, from grapes from the Lazio region. The best table wines include Soave (white) and Tokaj, while sparkling wines Cartizze and Prosecco are perfect for relaxing and enjoying the leisurely pace of life.
The Italian liqueur Amaretto is no less famous. Real Amaretto is produced in the homeland of Romeo and Juliet - Verona.

Attractions

In Rome: the world famous Pantheon - an ancient temple built in 27 BC; The Colosseum, built in 80 AD; several Triumphal Arches in honor of Roman emperors and generals; Roman Forum and Imperial Forum; Baths of Caracalla (217); catacombs in which the first Christians took refuge from persecution; Fort Castel Sant'Angelo, originally erected as a mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian and rebuilt as a fortification in the Middle Ages; basilica of st. John Lateran (IV century, rebuilt in the 17th-18th centuries); basilica of st. Paul (IV century); basilica of st. Peter-in-Chains (5th century), inside which is a marble sculpture of Moses by Michelangelo; Piazza Navona with three fountains: one by Gianlorenzo Bernini; tourists usually throw coins into the Baroque Trevi Fountain; Church of Trinita dei Monti (XV century); a large number of different museums and galleries - the Capitoline Museum, the National Museum of Villa Giulia (a collection of Etruscan and Roman art), the Borghese Gallery (painting and sculpture), the National Roman Museum (ancient Greek and Roman sculpture), several medieval palaces, which also house museums and galleries.
In Milan- a cathedral in the Gothic style, the construction of which began in 1386 and was completed in 1965; the Dominican monastery, in the refectory of which there is the famous fresco by Leonardo da Vinci “The Last Supper”; Brera Art Gallery; some art museums; Theater "La Scala". Duomo Cathedral, La Scala Theatre, Castello Sforzesco, Francesco Emanuele Gallery.
In Venice (located on 122 islands, it is crossed by 170 canals) there are 400 bridges, the most famous, perhaps, is the “Bridge of Sighs”, along which criminals walked after the Doge’s court; Cathedral of St. Brand (828); Palace of the Venetian Doges; granite columns erected in 1180, one of which depicts the winged lion of St. Mark (patron saint of Venice), on the second - St. Theodore on a crocodile; several art museums, the Grand Canal of Venice, St. Mark's Cathedral.
In Florence- the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (1296-1461) in the Gothic style, decorated with red, green and white marble; bell tower from the 14th century; the Baptistery of San Giovanni (XI-XV centuries), famous for its gilded bronze doors, the eastern door, decorated with sculptural scenes from the Old Testament, is called the “Gate of Heaven”; The National Museum, which houses a collection of sculptures by Donatello; Neptune Fountain (1576); Palazzo Vecchio (1299-1314); The Uffizi Gallery is one of the greatest collections of Italian masters; Pitti Gallery with works by Raphael, Perugino, Titian, Tintoretto; the tomb of the Medici family with a marble bas-relief by Michelangelo; the Medici Ricardi Palace (15th century), which houses the Medici Museum; the monastery of San Marino, in whose museum there are works by Fra Angelico and Fra Bartolomeo, in which there is also the cell of the philosopher Savonarola; Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts, where the famous sculpture by Michelangelo - David is kept; Archaeological Museum; Franciscan church of Santa Groce (XIII-XIV centuries), painted by Giotto, it is called the Pantheon of Florence, since Michelangelo Buonarotti, the philosopher and politician Nicolo Macchiavelli, and the composer Rossini are buried there. Duomo Cathedral (Santa Maria del Fiore), Baptistery, Basilica of Santa Croce.

Resorts

Islands of Italy: Sardinia, Sicily, Elba, Ischia, Capri.
Sardinia- the second largest island in the Mediterranean after Sicily. This is a unique and peculiar land, full of contrasts: endless horizons, ridges of rough rocks, hills of granite, basalt and limestone, mountains covered with wild dense thickets, smooth swamps over which they fly pink flamingos, the western wind blowing through the archipelagos, fireworks of flowers, the aroma of myrtles, mastic trees and other essences of forest plants. Sardinia is called the island of a hundred colors and a hundred smells. Its shape resembles a sandal, and locals believe this is where God stepped when he first came down to earth. Swimming season on the island lasts from June to October. Provinces of Sardinia: Cagliari, Nuoro, Oristano, Sassari.
Sicily, located in the center of the Mediterranean, is the most big island of this region (25,460 sq. km) and is separated from Italy by the Strait of Messina. The climate of Sicily is typically Mediterranean with little rainfall falling mainly in the winter months - from October to March. The number of sunny days per year is 250. Provinces of the island: Agrigento, Caltanissetta, Catania, Enna, Messina, Palermo, Ragusa, Syracuse, Trapani.
Elba Island located in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Total area 223 sq. km. It is the third largest island after Sicily and Sardinia. Height up to 1019 m. Elba is part of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park. Currently, the Elbe is a protected area and represents luxury resort. Picturesque bays and beaches, eucalyptus groves and olive trees, luxurious hotels and the friendliness of the residents - all this is provided to those who wish to visit the island. Elbe provides a wide range of entertainment: scuba diving, horse riding, golf, tennis, mountain walks. The Baths of San Giovanni offer a wide range of therapeutic, preventive and cosmetic treatments.
Ischia is world famous as a center for thermal treatments. The capital of the island has many hotels of various categories, commercial centers, discos, nightclubs, taverns, restaurants, and boutiques. Beautiful sandy beaches stretch from Ischia Porto to Ischia Ponte. Luxurious pine and chestnut groves and picturesque landscapes enchant tourists. Thermal gardens of the island: "Gardens of Poseidon", "Castiglione", "Apollo and Aphrodite", "Tropical", "Eden", "Negombo". In Sorgetto Bay, hot springs flow into the sea, so you can swim even in winter.
Capri- a small rocky island in the Bay of Naples. Known as a favorite holiday destination since the 19th century European aristocracy. Currently, Capri is one of the most fashionable and famous Italian resorts. The climate in the resorts of the Gulf of Naples is typically Mediterranean.
Thermal spas: Abano Terme, Montegrotto Terme, Bormio, San Casciano, San Giuliano Terme, Montecatini Terme, Saturnia Terme, Monsummano Terme, Casciana Terme.
Relaxation on the lakes is possible: Como, Garda, Maggiore.
Ski resorts: Pragelato (Piedmont region), Bormio ( youth resort), Val Gardena (Dolomites), Val di Fassa (for families with children), Cortina D'Ampezzo (in the heart of the Dolomites), Livigno (35 km from Bormio), Madonna di Campiglio (recognized capital of skiing).

Italy is amazing, colorful, emotional. It contains many beautiful historical and cultural monuments. It is difficult to find another country where almost every house or street is sung in the works of poets. Italians claim that a quarter of all attractions are located in major capitals the world, and the remaining three quarters are scattered across various Italian towns. To explore all corners of Italy well and fully enjoy it, you will need to make several trips to this beautiful country.

Geographical features

The Italian flag flies over the Apennine Peninsula, Sicily, Sardinia and several smaller islands. The total area of ​​the state is 301.34 thousand km². Although Italy ranks only 71st in size in the world ranking, every meter of its land amazes with picturesque reliefs, amazing nature and historical monuments.

The mild subtropical climate and proximity to the sea provide comfortable temperatures throughout the year. The Alps provide additional shelter from bad weather, protecting the country from cold northern winds. In mid-summer the air temperature is +22…+24 °C. In the southern regions it can heat up to +32 °C. Winters are snowless and often foggy. The air temperature in December-February is 0…+5 °C.

Population composition

According to forecasts from statistical authorities, Italy has a population of 60 million. Of these, more than 92% are native Italians. The remaining citizens by nationality are emigrants from North African countries and of Eastern Europe. In addition to their native Italian, many people understand English, French and German. Residents of resort towns have especially developed linguistic knowledge.

The main religion of Italy is Catholicism. And this is not surprising, because this is where the heart of this branch of Christianity is located - the Vatican. According to state agreements since 1929, it has been an independent state within Rome. He owns the territory at the top of the Monte Vaticano hill.

Italians are very cheerful and emotional people. During a conversation, active gestures make it seem as if two people are furiously sorting things out, but they could simply be discussing the weather or the performance of their favorite football team. Residents lead a measured, unhurried lifestyle. It is normal for an Italian to be late for a meeting by half an hour or more. Siesta is generally considered the most important period. In the afternoon, almost all establishments are closed for 2-3 hours.

Kitchen

Italian cuisine establishments can be found in many parts of the world, so most tourists can name the main dishes without hesitation: pizza, lasagna, pasta, ravioli, risotto. But it is in Italy that such familiar dishes surprise with their unique taste. All vegetables and herbs grown under the hot sun have an amazing aroma and taste. Moreover, in every restaurant the chef uses a set of products that is passed down from generation to generation in his family.

Italian cheeses are very popular. Mozzarella, Parmesan and some other varieties are produced here. Tomatoes, olives and basil are also found in many dishes. Among Italian desserts, tiramisu and Italian ice cream have become the most popular.

The wines of Italy deserve special attention: young and aged, sweet and dry. They are opened “on occasion” or simply served for dinner.

Attractions

Almost every Italian town has a memorable place that attracts tourists. Local residents are happy to show the way to it and tell interesting, although often fictitious, stories. Let's look at the most famous attractions:

1. Roman Coliseum. The ruins of a huge round amphitheater have been preserved since the time of Emperor Vespasian (72 AD). Up to 50 thousand spectators could simultaneously watch the battle of gladiators in it.
2. Leaning Tower of Pisa. This tower has already tilted 5.5° and continues to shift. She is captured in photographs by every tourist who comes to Pisa.
3. Doge's Palace. The meeting place of the Senate and rulers of medieval Venice has been preserved in its original appearance and amazes with its grandeur.
4. Volcano Etna. A huge active volcano in northern Sicily allows you to feel the power of nature and enjoy beautiful views.
5. Juliet's house. An ancient house with a small balcony from which the heroine of Shakespeare’s work listened to the confessions of her lover.

Beaches

Italy boasts a long coastline, where many tourists love to relax. Many entrepreneurs rent areas along the coast, where they set up comfortable recreation areas with umbrellas and sun loungers. The cost of a comfortable seat is about 10 euros. By law, a 5 m wide coastal line is municipal and anyone can stay there absolutely free. Impeding access to the coast is prohibited, but anyone who rests on the beach at night (1:00-5:00) is breaking the law. Police patrols regularly patrol the area and punish violators.

For lovers of secluded relaxation and wild beaches, “Red Bay” on the island of Favignana near Sicily is suitable. Among the stones and rocky shores there is a small white strip of sand.

Another picturesque place is Mariolu Bay in Sardinia. The beach here is covered with small pebbles of white and pink colors. There are several beautiful rocks in the water and on land.

In Vendicari, a small resort town in Sicily, you can enjoy relaxing on a sandy beach, gentle descent into the water and beautiful scenery. Not far from it there is a natural park where turtles and flamingos live.

Things to do?

Beach holidays in Italy are quite varied. In addition to passive wallowing on the beach, you can water ski, scooter and dive. Numerous rocks and caves will interest lovers of speleology and rock climbing.

Ski connoisseurs will also not be bored. The most popular slopes are located on the lapel of the boot. The Dolomites always have a sufficient layer of snow and several thousand kilometers of trails of varying difficulty levels. True professionals also love Alta Valtellina. There are many difficult trails here, and the cost of services is much lower.

Families with children, and some adults, will enjoy spending time at the Rainbow Magic Land amusement park or the Aquafan water park. IN major cities And smaller towns have many nightclubs, discos and bars to entertain the night away. And, of course, don’t forget about shopping. After all, some come to Italy just for him.

How to get there?

In Rome, Pisa, Milan, Naples, Genoa and other large cities there are international airports. They accept flights from different countries and continents, including from Russia.

Those who love a longer but more educational journey prefer to travel around Europe by car. This allows you to get to know several countries in one trip.

There is also a train connection between Moscow and Nice.

To visit Italy, you must obtain a Schengen visa in advance.

Familiarization of PRESCHOOL CHILDREN WITH COUNTRIES AND PEOPLES

ITALY

• CLASS

Tasks

Correctional and educational:

To acquaint children with the sights and peculiarities of Italy;

Update the dictionary on the topics “Products”, “Clothing”, “Hats”;

Practice in the formation of relative adjectives, instrumental nouns, genitive cases, prefixed verbs, in the selection of antonym adjectives,determining the place of a sound in a word;

Learn to differentiate hard and soft consonants in words.
Correctional and developmental: develop attention, thinking,graphomotor skills.

Educational:

Cultivate interest in the culture and traditions of Italy;

To develop children’s ability to negotiate with each other.

Health-saving: maintain the health of children through psycho-gymnastics, dynamic exercises to music, finger gymnastics.

Equipment: drawing depicting the heroes of the fairy tale “The Golden Key, or the Adventures of Pinocchio”, on whose facial expressions there are different emotions (Pierrot - sadness, Malvina - surprise, Harlequin - fun, Karabas-Barabas - anger), various types of pasta (butterflies, spirals, feathers, stars, spaghetti, vermicelli, noodles, etc.), blue and green gift bags, object pictures (coat, jacket, pajamas, poncho, capris, pullover, raincoat, cap, scarf, cap, hat), paper strips (“money” ), cardboard “gondola”with a transparent pocket for pictures, object pictures for determining the place of sound in a word, audio recording of fast and slow music, tarantellas, audio player, proof test (on it there are figures imitating types of Italian pasta), paper blanks for masks, felt-tip pens or paints (gold, silver) , lace, beads, rhinestones, sequins, glue.

* * *

I. Introductory part

Teacher. Hello guys! I didn't come empty-handed. We have an invitation card to one country. Look carefully and say who is depicted on it.

The picture shows the heroes of the fairy tale “The Golden Key, or the Adventures of Pinocchio”, whose facial expressions show different emotions (Pierrot - sadness, Malvina - surprise, Harlequin - fun, Karabas-Barabas - anger).

Look in the upper left (lower left, lower right, upper right) corner, name the hero.

Children name the heroes, orienting themselves in the space of the sheet.

What fairy tale heroes did you name?

Children. Fairy tales "The Golden Key, or the Adventures of Pinocchio."

Teacher. Use your facial expressions to depict the mood of the fairy tale characters.

Children portray sadness, surprise, anger and joy.

We know the heroes from the fairy tale “The Golden Key, or the Adventures of Buratino” by the Russian writer A.N. Tolstoy. But in fact, this is a translation of a fairy tale by the Italian writer Carlo Collodi, who called it “The Adventures of Pinocchio. The history of a wooden doll." Who guessed which country the invitation was to? Where will we go if the invitation includes heroes of an Italian fairy tale?

Children. We're going to Italy!

Teacher. By the way, in Italy's national theater dell'arte (mask theater) there are similar characters: Pierrot, Harlequin, Colombina. Probably, the characters of the heroes of the fairy tale “Pinocchio” were borrowed from there. So, we are in Italy.

The country looks like a boot

Its name is Italy.

There's a tangle of sun, sea and mountains

The tourist is eagerly awaited.

Venice's canals beckon,

The gondolas float slowly...

And strange masks dance

You are invited to the carnival.

The huge pizza smells spicy.

Polenta and lardo are served.

Lasagne, pasta, ravioli

The traveler is called to the tavern.

Olives, grapes, wheat

The fields are endless.

Gifts of that fertile soil

They take it to all corners of the Earth.

And the Colosseum and the ancient Forum,
Art galleries coziness...

No wonder people repeat:

“The roads all lead us to Rome!”

II. Main part

The teacher and the children look at Italy on the map, paying attention to its unusual shape (“the country looks like a boot”). They note that there are mountains (Alps), valleys, rivers, volcanoes, parks, etc. They remember that the climate in Italy is very warm, and that creates conditions for growing vegetables and fruits.

Nature has endowed Italy with snow-white Alpine slopes and warm seas, and golden beaches, and mysterious volcanoes. Italy is also a large museum under open air, it can rightfully be called the cultural and historical center of the world. Every Italian city is a tourist attraction. Each of them has a unique look and special character, which the Italians are trying to preserve. Today we will take a tour of these cities. Let's start with the capital of Italy - Rome. The city is located on the Tiber River, the ancient name of which Rumo, or Rumon, served as the basis for the formation of the name Rome.

The teacher shows photographs depicting Rome.

The symbol of Rome and Italy in general is the Colosseum. It got its current name because of the giant colossus statue (i.e., giant, huge statue) that was installed in front of it. The Colosseum is shaped like an oval stadium, which had an arena and seats for spectators to watch the battles of Roman gladiators. A gladiator (“sword-bearer”) is a fighter with a sword who fought with his own kind for the amusement of the public. The Roman Forum in ancient times was the central market, and now it is a square occupying the center of the ancient part of the city, where ruins (destroyed parts) of ancient buildings and an open-air museum are collected. What other attractions are there in Rome?

Children. Rome has many museums, theaters, galleries, squares, and palaces.

Teacher. There is a very unusual museum in Rome. You won't see any ancient sculptures or paintings there. This is the National Pasta Museum. What is pasta? We would immediately imagine toothpaste or chocolate paste. In fact, pasta is wheat flour products, pasta or noodles of various shapes. There are more than 100 types of pasta. Here are just a few.

The teacher's story is accompanied by a display of products or slides depicting various types of pasta.

Well, pasta, what a miracle!

Amazing dish!

Here are a whole series of names,

How mysterious they sound:

Fettuccine, pasta,

Orzo, penne, cannelloni,

And spaghetti and rotelle,

Farfalle and vermicelli.

Here are conchiglia and stellini,

Alphabet and capellini,

And lasagna, ravioli,

Gnocchi, ziti, tortiglioni!...

You can’t count all the varieties,

It's better to cook everything and eat it!

For example, there is pasta foam, What does "feathers" mean? Paste orzo similar to grains of rice. There is a very small pasta - "pepper grains" It is mainly used in salads or soups. Cannelloni- a paste that resembles large thick tubes. Anellini- paste in the form of tiny rings. There is a paste that looks like a straw, long and short, we call it pasta. Conchiglia - means "clam shell" or "shell". Capellini- long and very thin paste. Translated from Italian, this word means “hair”. Paste cavatappi, what does "corkscrew" mean, similar tospring or curls of a corkscrew. Fettuccine means ribbons, it is also called noodles. There is a paste that looks like butterflies or bows - farfalle. Rotini- in the form of spirals. Rotelle(“wheels”) - round paste in the form of small wheels with spokes. Paste ravioli similar to our stuffed dumplings. Alphabet most often used in soups. It is in the form of letters of the Latin alphabet. Children love her very much. Spaghetti - pasta in the form of small ropes, stellini- small pentagonal stars with a hole in the center. Vermicelli translated from Italian means “worms”. Lasagna- wide, flat and long pasta. Ziti- paste in the form of short tubes curved in an arc. Tortiglioni- short pasta in the form of medium-sized tubes. Gnocchi- small dumplings.

According to one version, pasta was brought to Europe by the Venetian merchant Marco Polo from his trip to China; according to another, the ancestors of today’s Italians learned to grow cereals, and a little later, grind them into flour. By mixing it with water, a mass was obtained, which was dried in the sun and stored in this form, and, as needed, baked in an oven. Later they began to boil it.

Correction test

Teacher. Now we will learn to distinguish between different types of pasta.

The teacher hands out sheets of paper to the children with a proof test - images of figures imitating different types of paste.

Guys, what types of pasta did you see in the picture? What are they like? The children answer.

Circle the paste in the shape of a butterfly, circle it in the shape of a ring, circle it in the shape of a star, circle it in the shape of a star, and cross out the paste in the shape of a spring and tube.

Children complete the task.

Well done! Now you will know what pasta is - a favorite dish of Italian cuisine.

Guys, what do you think the saying “All roads lead to Rome” means?

The children answer.

This is a proverb, so its meaning is not direct, i.e. in reality, of course, not all roads lead to Rome, they just say that when they mean that when solving different problems and disputes there will be one result.

Where did this expression come from? Why do geek styles talk? Why exactly to Rome, and not to some other city, “all roads lead”? It turns out that in ancient times it was Rome that was the center of trade, cultural and political life with developed sea and land routes. Important kings, nobles, poor people, merchants, and warriors came here... Everyone went to Rome with their own purpose. If you look at a map of Rome at that time, its transport system will remind us of the sun: all the rays - the roads - converge in one place - the center of Rome. In other words, in ancient times many roads actually led there. Let's continue our tour of Italian cities. Here we are in Naples. It is the largest city in southern Italy. Not far from it is the active volcano Vesuvius. (Teachershows it on the map.) Do you know what Naples is famous for? Because it was there that an unusual, temperamental, catchy dance arose - the tarantella. It is performed by both a couple and one dancer. As a rule, the music is based on one motive, but it is repeated many times, bewitching and attracting dancers. One of the versions of the origin of the name of the dance is this: they say that it was invented in order not to get sick after being bitten by a dangerous spider - a tarantula. It was necessary to move very energetically and sweat to get rid of the poison.

The teacher plays an audio recording of the tarantella.

Sicilian tarantella

Dynamic pause "Tarantella"

Teacher. We will also dance this famous dance.

Children dance the tarantella (freely).

Italian tarantella dance performed by children

Another feature, or rather, the calling card of Naples, is Neapolitan pizza, which is a symbol of Italian cuisine. At the annual "Pizza Festival" held in this city, the pizzaiolo, i.e. Pizza chefs compete in skill, speed and amazing artistry. Real pizza is a thin round layer of dough, on which finely chopped vegetables and cheese are spread, and a pinch of fragrant herb thyme is sprinkled on top. We, too, will now turn into skilled pizzaiolos.

Finger and breathing exercises “Let’s make pizza”

The teacher reads the text, the children perform the movements.

Pizza, pizza, that's pizza! Children rub their palms, massage
Makes you work hard. fingers extend from tip to palm.

Quickly knead the dough "Kneading the dough"

Let's roll it out well They imitate the movements of a cook - pitsailo,

But not with a rolling pin, but in your hands. which rotates the dough in

Such courage, such scope! raised hands.

Slice the tomatoes Make chopping movements with one palm on the other.

We grate a lot of cheese, Rubbing one fist against the other.

Sprinkle, sprinkle Imitate movements, “sprinkle pizza”

And we put it in the oven!

Let's breathe in the fabulous smell, Inhale through the nose

We safely take out the pizza. exhale through the mouth.

You can sit at the tables

To taste our pizza

Teacher. True, nowadays many other products also serve as pizza toppings. What can pizza go with?

Children. Pizza can be with mushrooms, vegetables, sausage... Teacher. Let's think about what pizza is called depending on the filling. If the filling is sausage, then it's pizza sausage, from cheese - cheese, from mushrooms - mushroom, from fish - fish, from onion - onion, from eggplant - eggplant, from vegetables - vegetable, from chicken - chicken...

In addition, there is a special type of pizza - sweet (dessert). The dough in such a pizza contains enough sugar, and the filling is fruit, jam, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc. What kind of filling will it be? Fruit filling - fruity, from yogurt - yogurt, from cottage cheese - curd, from bananas - banana, from peaches - peach etc.

After tasting the pizza, you can move on to the cities of Italy.

And now we are in Milan. This is the second largest city in Italy, which is famous for its art galleries, museums, architectural monuments, theaters, and educational institutions. Milan's La Scala opera house is famous all over the world. This is the pride of the city, the largest opera stage in the world. The great composer Giuseppe Verdi lived and worked in Milan.

Dynamic pause "Fast and slow music"

Will be performed to music.

Teacher. And also, guys, it was in Italy that musical literacy arose, so we pronounce many musical terms in Italian. For example, the word "allegro" means "quickly", "ada-

zhio" - "slowly". The music will now start playing, and you will move in accordance with its tempo.

If the music is fast, the children run, and if the music is slow, they make voluntary smooth movements.

Game "Fashionable Milanese Store"

Teacher. Milan, like Paris, is considered the capital of fashion. Now we will go to a fashionable Milanese store.

The teacher gives the children two gift bags - blue and green. On the typesetting canvas he sets pictures with images of clothes and headwear (coat, jacket, pajamas, poncho, capris, pullover, raincoat, cap, scarf, cap, hat).

Then he invites the children to agree among themselves and divide into two teams, and also choose a seller. One team will “buy” things that have a [p”] sound in their names and put them in a green bag, and the other team will “buy” things that have a [p] sound in their names and put them in a blue bag. Additional “purchase” condition: you need clarify whether the child is buying clothes or a hat, and also give the “seller” the required amount of “money”, counting the number of syllables in the words.

And now we are in the city of Pisa, which is famous throughout the world for its “leaning” tower. (The teacher shows a photograph of the Pisatowers.) The fact is that the foundation of the Leaning Tower of Pisa was laid unevenly. And for more than 800 years, the bell tower has been strongly tilted to the side. Let's compare the regular Tower of Pisa and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The Tower of Pisa is straight, but the Leaning Tower is inclined, high - low, dark - light, strong - fragile.

Next our path lies to Venice. This is a city on the water, built on more than a hundred islands, which are connected by four hundred bridges. However beautiful buildings, museums are not located on city streets. Instead of streets in Venice, there are water canals, so you have to travel not by cars and buses, but by special boats - gondolas.

The teacher shows photographs of Venice.

A gondola is a boat with a raised, figured bow and a high stern. It is controlled by a gondolier using one oar. The gondola is one of the symbols of Venice. Gondolier is a male profession that requires great skill, including the ability to perform a special song - barcarolle. You and I will also ride a gondola through wonderful Venice.

Pictures will float in our gondola: at the beginning (at the bow of the boat) - pictures where the given sound is at the beginning of the word, in the middle - pictures where the sound is in the middle of the word, and at the stern, at the end of the boat - those where the given sound comes at the end of a word.

So, let's take a walk along the Venetian canals. Imagine that our gondola floated, floated, from the pier... (sailed away) to the bridge... (swimmed up) under the bridge... (swimmed) through the channel... (swimmed across) for the house... (swimmed away). Etc.

Venice became famous for its carnival. It is not known exactly how the word “carnival” appeared. They say that it comes from the Latin words “carne vale”, meaning “farewell to meat”, because this holiday is reminiscent of our Russian Maslenitsa. However, in Italy this holiday is celebrated on a grand scale. All squares, streets, canals and bridges at this time turn into a huge stage. The townspeople wear strange costumes. The main attribute of the carnival is the mask, which is designed to hide all the differences between people during the celebration. In their homeland, Venetian masks gained immense popularity. They are unusual, richly and elaborately decorated, and some are real works of art. (The teacher shows photographs of the Venetian carnival.)

From the trip, we bring souvenirs. And when returning from Italy, it is impossible not to bring a Venetian mask, which we will now decorate.

The teacher distributes paper blanks for masks, felt-tip pens or paints, lace, beads, and glue. Children decorate masks.

III. Final part

Teacher. So the journey through the cities of Italy has ended. We returned with new impressions. Draw a smile on your mask if you enjoyed the trip.

• Watching cartoons with children. ITALY

Italy is not only cheese, pasta and the Colosseum. These are also olive and grape plantations, beautiful castles, amazing seascapes and much more. Our video “Italy. Geography for kids in pictures” will help you verify this.

Italy. Shishkina school

Source

Baronova V.V. A grammatical journey across countries and continents. Classes on cognitive and speech development of older preschoolers. - M.: TC Sfera, 2016. - 128 p.

Literature

Alyabyeva E.A. Grammar for preschoolers. Didactic materials on the development of speech of children 5-7 years old. M., 2014.

Alyabyeva E.A. From words to dialogue. Didactic materials on the development of speech of children 5-7 years old. M., 2013.

Groshenkova V.A., Shilova T. S. Integrated classes on the development of speech and artistic activity. M., 2012.

Dunaeva N.Yu., Zyablova S. Prevention of general speech underdevelopment in children 3-4 years old. M, 2013.

Efimenkova L.N. Formation of speech in preschool children. M., 1981.

Zhukova K.S., Mastyukova E.M., Filicheva T.B. Overcoming general speech underdevelopment in preschool children. M., 1990.

Lalaeva R.I., Serebryakova N.V. Correction of general speech underdevelopment in preschool children (formation of vocabulary and grammatical structure). St. Petersburg, 1999.

Miklyaeva N.V. Cognitive and speech development of preschool children. M., 2015.

Molchanova E.G., Kpemova M.A. Speech development of children 5-7 years old in a speech center. M., 2014.

Ovchinnikov V.V. Sakura branch. M., 1975.

Tkachenko T.A. We learn to speak correctly. System for correcting general speech underdevelopment in 6-year-old children. M., 2004.

Parfenova E.V. Speech development of children with special needs development in theatrical activities. M., 2014.

Dear students, in my opinion, this is important!

I advise you to go through other sections of the "Navigation" and read interesting articles or watch presentations, didactic materials on subjects (pedagogy, methods of developing children's speech, theoretical basis interaction between preschool educational institutions and parents); material for preparing for tests, tests, exams, coursework and dissertations. I would be glad if the information posted on my website helps you in your work and study.

Best regards, O.G. Golskaya

"Help on the site" - click on the image - hyperlink to return to the previous page (Test work on the module "Planning work on the development of children's speech. COUNTRIES AND PEOPLES OF THE WORLD ").

Italy (Italian: Italia, official name— The Italian Republic (Italian: Repubblica Italiana)) is a state in southern Europe, in the center of the Mediterranean. The name comes from the Greek language, see Etymology. Monetary unit - (currency sign - €, bank code: EUR) - the official currency of 17 eurozone countries (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia , Finland, France, Estonia).

It borders with France in the north-west (border length - 488 km), with Switzerland (740 km) and Austria (430 km) - in the north and with Slovenia - in the north-east (232 km). It also has internal borders with the Vatican (3.2 km) and San Marino (39 km). It occupies the Apennine Peninsula, the Padana Plain, the southern slopes of the Alps, the islands of Sicily, Sardinia and a number of small islands.

Symbols of the state

	The flag of Italy - one of the state symbols of the Italian Republic, is a rectangular panel consisting of three vertical equal-sized stripes: green at the pole edge, white in the middle, and red at the free edge of the panel. The ratio of the width of the flag to its length is 2:3. The Italian flag, designed under Napoleon, is close to the design of the revolutionary flag of France. The basis is taken from the heraldic colors of Milan (the cross of St. Ambrose of Milan), white and red, as well as green - the color of the local police uniform. Approved as the flag of the Cispadan Republic on December 9, 1797. Subsequently, these same colors were used in the flag of Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. After the fall of Napoleon, the use of the tricolor was discontinued until the Risorgimento era. It was under this flag that the unification of Italy took place at the instigation of Garibaldi. In the united Kingdom of Italy, the traditional coat of arms of the ruling Savoy dynasty was superimposed on the tricolor. On July 6, 2005, the Italian Parliament passed a law according to which in Italy a fine of 1,000 to 1,500 euros will be charged for desecration of the national flag.
	Coat of arms The official emblem of the Italian Republic was promulgated by Italian President Enrico de Nicola on May 5, 1948. The sketch of the emblem was made by the artist Paolo Paschetto, who won this right in competitions in 1946 and 1947 among 500 other candidates and almost 800 sketches. The emblem contains a white five-pointed star with red edges superimposed on gear with five spokes, standing between an olive branch on the left and an oak branch on the right. Green branches are tied together with a red ribbon with the inscription "Italian Republic" (Italian: REPUBBLICA ITALIANA) in capital white letters
National anthem The Italian Anthem, also known as the "Brothers of Italy" and the "Song of the Italians", has been the unofficial anthem of the Italian Republic since October 12, 1946. On November 17, 2005, the Senate passed the law on the official anthem in the first reading, but the law did not pass further and the anthem remained at the unofficial level. The text of the anthem was written in the autumn of 1847 by Goffredo Mameli, and the music, a little later, by composer Miquel Novaro. In the 80s of the 20th century, an excerpt from Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Nabucco” was also widely distributed, which was performed as an anthem.

Administrative division

The capital of the state is Rome. The country is divided into 20 regions - Valle d'Aosta, Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Piedmont, Liguria, Veneto, Tuscany, Umbria, Emilia-Romagna, Marche, Abruzzo, Lazio, Molise, Basilicata, Campania, Calabria, Apulia, Sardinia and Sicily (of which 5 - Sicily, Sardinia, Trentino-Alto Adige, Valle d'Aosta and Friuli-Venezia Giulia - have a special status), comprising 110 provinces as an administrative-territorial unit. The provinces, in turn, are divided into communes, with a total of 8,101 communes. Autonomous regions have their own parliaments - regional councils and governments - juntas, which have powers in matters of local self-government.

Italian foreign policy

Until 1861, Italy was fragmented, therefore numerous Italian states pursued their own foreign policy, focusing on neighboring powerful states.

Since 1861, the policy of a united Italy was aimed at annexing areas with Italians living there, namely the Papal States, Trentino, Istria, Dalmatia. Italy also sought to create its own colonial empire. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, Italy annexed the Papal States. Further, she focused her foreign policy on, since she wanted to gain a foothold in Tunisia, which France also claimed. However, due to the desire to annex Istria and Trentino, Italy came into conflict with Austria-Hungary at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries.

Since 1914, Italy has been negotiating with the Entente, allied with Germany, bargaining with them. As a result, in 1915, the Entente countries promised Italy the desired territories if it agreed to take the side of the Entente. And in 1915, Italy attacks Austria-Hungary. As a result of the Paris Peace Conference of 1918, Italy received Istria, Trentino and a number of islands in the Adriatic Sea. After World War I, Italy had a new rival - the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, which became Yugoslavia in 1929.

After the fascists came to power, Italy's foreign policy became extremely radical. Conflicts with Yugoslavia became relevant until the end of World War II, as a result of which Italy returned Dalmatia and Istria to Yugoslavia and granted independence to Albania.

One of the most important foreign policy events was the signing of the Allied Peace Treaty with Italy in February 1947 in Paris. According to the agreement, fascist organizations in Italy were dissolved, occupation troops were withdrawn, borders were determined, and the placement of military bases on Italian territory was prohibited. After World War II, Italy's policy was passive, the country followed the path of NATO and in particular. The country was dominated by the idea of ​​Italy's role as that of a "middle power". On April 4, 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty was officially signed in Washington. Together with representatives of the USA, France, Belgium, Canada, Holland, Luxembourg, Norway, Denmark, Portugal and Iceland, the North Atlantic Pact was signed by a representative of the Italian government, Foreign Minister C. Sforza. Foreign Minister Sforza also actively promoted Italy's accession to the European Council (1949) and the European Coal and Steel Community (1951)

Italy became a member of the UN at the end of 1955.

In April 1966, the first official visit to the Italian Republic of the USSR Minister of Foreign Affairs A. A. Gromyko took place. The visit not only produced concrete results in the field of bilateral relations, but also led to a certain convergence of the positions of the USSR and Italy on various issues.

In 1972, the Italian government entered into an agreement with the United States to provide American nuclear submarines with a base on Maddalena Island almost simultaneously with the signing of a protocol on political consultations with the Soviet Union. Soviet-Italian relations in the 70s generally developed along an ascending line and were distinguished by great intensity and effectiveness. Relations were further strengthened in 1975 with the signing of the Soviet-Italian Declaration, which emphasized the desire to develop friendly relations between Italy and the USSR.

By the end of the 70s, the passivity of the Italian side in Western Europe was compensated only by banal rhetorical declarations of loyalty to Europeanism. At the turn of the 1980s, the pendulum of Italian foreign policy, swinging between Western Europe and the United States, froze in the American phase.

In the late 80s, this ideology began to change due to events in neighboring Yugoslavia. Italy began to pay more attention to the processes in the post-Yugoslav space and in the Mediterranean in general. In the early 80s, Italy's Mediterranean policy was given a new impetus. The country was able to acquire significant independence from its NATO partners and begin to pursue its course in the region. Among the specific manifestations of Italian policy at this time are the conclusion of agreements on military and economic cooperation with Malta in 1980, Italian participation in the international forces in Lebanon in 1982-84, and operations to clear mines from the Suez Canal in 1984.

Since the second half of the 90s, the problem associated with the definition of a country in the European Union has come to the fore in Italy's foreign policy. First of all, attention was paid to the issue of introducing a single European currency, the EURO.

Italy took part in the NATO Balkan operation, in the Kosovo operation, and also sent its soldiers to Iraq and Afghanistan.

At the beginning of the 21st century, the country, together with Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Albania, took part in the promotion of a new subregional project - the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative (AII). The conference at the level of foreign ministers was held on May 20, 2000 in the Italian city of Ancona and opened new channels of influence for Italy in the Balkans. Also, after the creation of the AII, Italy practically became one of the main Western European countries capable of regulating post-crisis development in the Balkans, which gave Italy the opportunity to establish itself as one of the centers of gravity for the countries of South-Eastern Europe.

It was after the crisis in Kosovo that the idea of ​​a “middle power” was transformed into the idea of ​​a “world of protagonists,” that is, a world in which Italy has an important place. Later, Italy declared the Balkans an area of ​​its “responsibility” within NATO.

After the events of September 11, 2001, Italy focused its efforts on restoring contacts between the Western and Islamic worlds.

In 2001-2006, the Prime Minister and the Italian foreign ministers made a number of visits with the aim of establishing a dialogue between the Palestinian and Israeli administrations through the mediation of Rome in resolving the regional crisis. The first state visit of the Italian President to Turkey took place on November 22, 2005. K. Chapmi expressed support for Turkey's aspirations to become a member of the European Union, and also emphasized that the country and its leadership must make efforts to achieve the standards adopted by the EU.

The current stage of Italian foreign policy can be characterized by rather warm relations with Russia. Since 2000, after the first official visit to Italy by Russian President V.V. Putin, mutual sympathy has arisen between the two countries, subsequently actively developing bilateral cooperation. On the eve of the Russia-EU summit on November 4, 2003, the Russian President visited Italy. In less than a year, this was already the sixth meeting, which cannot but prove active cooperation and close business relations between the two countries. A landmark event in bilateral cooperation was the signing in June 2004 of an intergovernmental Agreement on simplifying the issuance of visas to citizens of the Russian Federation and the Italian Republic, which facilitated mutual contacts for young people, scientists, cultural figures, entrepreneurs, and civil servants of the two countries.

Italy's foreign policy priorities include: the Mediterranean, the Balkan region, the USA, the European Union, countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Russia.

Geography

Italy is a predominantly mountainous country.

In the north are the southern slopes of the Alps with highest point Western Europe by Mount Mont Blanc (4808 m), to the south - the Padan Plain; on the peninsula are the Apennine Mountains (the highest point is Mount Corno Grande, 2914 m). The Apennines are also divided into: Ligurian, Tuscan-Emilian, Umbro-Marcan, Abruzzese, Campanian, Lucanian, Calabrian Apennines and the Sabini Mountains. Also in the eastern part of the peninsula is the Gargano Peninsula, in the southeast and southwest of the Salentina and Calabria peninsulas, respectively. Active volcanoes - (Vesuvius, Etna); earthquakes are frequent.

Washing seas - from the east, the Apennine Peninsula is washed by the Adriatic Sea with the Gulf of Venice in its northern part. The Strait of Otranto between Puglia and Albania connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea. Between Puglia and Calabria the Gulf of Taranto penetrates deep into the land. The very narrow Strait of Messina separates Calabria from Sicily, and the 135 km wide Strait of Sicily (or Tunisian) separates Sicily from North Africa. The Tyrrhenian Sea is a triangular-shaped basin framed by Sardinia, Corsica, the Tuscan Archipelago, the Apennine Peninsula and Sicily. To the north of Corsica is the Ligurian Sea with the Gulf of Genoa.

In the northeastern part of the island of Sicily are the Nebrodi Mountains, and in the southwestern part of the island of Sardinia are the Campidano Plain. Most of the small islands are divided into archipelagos, such as the Tuscan archipelago, which includes the island of Elba, to which Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled. The longest river in Italy is the Po, its length is 682 km. Largest lake- Garda.

Minerals

Italy has a wide variety of mineral resources. But the deposits of many of them are small in terms of reserves, scattered throughout the country, and are often located in an inconvenient location for development. Thus, in 1982, iron ore mining was completely stopped in the country, including on the island of Elba (in a number of places, but especially in the Carrara area). In terms of reserves of other types of raw materials, Italy is poor. Anthracite occurs in small quantities in the Valle d'Aosta region, colloidal lignites in Tuscany, peat and peat-like lignites. There are small deposits of manganese in Central Italy and Liguria. Bauxite, long mined from the karst depressions of Apulia, is now almost exhausted. The island of Sicily has reserves of potash and rock salt, asphalt, and bitumen.

Italy's energy resources satisfy only 15% of the country's energy needs. In Sardinia, Tuscany, Umbria, and Calabria there are deposits of brown and low-quality coal. Limited oil reserves on the island of Sicily, the Padanian plain and east coast Central Italy provides less than 2% of Italy's oil needs. The natural gas fields of the Padan Plain and its underwater continuation, the continental shelf of the Adriatic Sea, are very important for the country’s economy. Natural gas is found in the Northern, Central and Southern Apennines and Sicily.

In the post-war years, quite significant (for Italy) oil resources were discovered - in the Padana Lowland, in the Alpine foothills, and also on the island of Sicily. In addition to these are bituminous shales on the island of Sicily in the Ragusa region, near San Valentino in the Abruzzo e Molise region, and also in the Frosinone region (Lazio).

Economy

Advantages: huge government budget ($960 billion as of 2009, 5th in the world), surpassing, among others, the budgets of China and the UK. Competitive and quite creative middle class. Sets fashion all over the world in the field of design, production and production of clothing and household appliances. Leading firms include Fiat (automotive), Montedison (plastics), Olivetti (communications), Benetton (clothing). Highly productive agriculture and tourist production, famous fashion houses. Huge cultural heritage makes Italy one of the most attractive countries for tourists in Europe and the world, with the possibility of endless development tourism industry farms.

Weaknesses: Government deficits and debt growth are still high. Low economic growth, inefficient service sector, which is being intensively privatized. Uneven distribution of wealth between the rich North and the poor South, where unemployment is 3 times higher. Insufficient tax discipline, which has been improving recently. Relatively small, internationally competitive enterprises. Heavy dependence on imported energy resources.

Italy is a highly developed industrial-agrarian country. Predominantly industrial and highly developed north and poor, agricultural south. Gross national product per capita is $30,000 per year. Leading industries: mechanical engineering, metallurgy, chemical and petrochemical, light and food. Italy is one of the largest manufacturers and suppliers to the world market of cars, bicycles and mopeds, tractors, washing machines and refrigerators, writing and calculating machines, radio electronic products, industrial equipment, steel pipes, plastics and chemical fibers, car tires, as well as ready-made clothing and leather shoes, pasta, cheese, olive oil, wine, fruit and tomato cans. Large-scale production of cement, natural essences and essential oils from flowers and fruits, glass and earthenware art, jewelry. Extraction of pyrites, mercury ores, natural gas, potassium salt, dolomites, asbestos.

Agriculture is dominated by crop production. The main crops are wheat, corn, rice (1st place in Europe; over 1 million tons per year), sugar beets. Italy is one of the world's largest and Europe's leading producer of citrus fruits (over 3.3 million tons per year), tomatoes (over 5.5 million tons), grapes (about 10 million tons per year; over 90% is processed in wine), olives. Floriculture and poultry farming are developed.

Italy is the largest region of international tourism (over 50 million people per year). Tourism in Italy is one of the leading sectors of the economy and accounts for 12% of GDP. Italy accounts for 5.6% of the global tourism market. According to this indicator, the country ranks 3rd in the EU after France and Spain.

The monetary unit is the euro.

Population employment structure

Total economically active population: 24.86 million (2007)

Agriculture - 4%, industry - 31%, tertiary sector - 65%.

Currently, Italy's regional imbalances in the employment structure are as follows:

1. The differences between the North-West and North-East regions remain insignificant. The percentage of people employed in the industrial sector in these regions is absolutely the same. Differences are observed only in the number of people employed in the tertiary sector and agriculture. The North-West region is traditionally a more developed region, in which a powerful industry was previously formed (the main industrial triangle of Italy Milan-Turin-Genoa is located here). The North-Eastern region acquired its industrial structure after the 1970s, when powerful enterprises in the aluminum industry, energy, oil refining and petrochemical industries were built there.

2. The center has traditionally been characterized by average indicators for the country, and this region was considered a transition between the industrial north and the agricultural south. Currently, the Center has also retained these middle positions, but previously the gap between the Northern regions and the Center was more significant than it is now. We can say that now the distribution of employees across economic sectors in the Northern and Central regions is almost the same. Only in terms of employment in the tertiary sector, the Central District is significantly ahead of its northern neighbors (by 8-11%). This increase in the number of employees in the tertiary sector is due to the Lazio region, which is the capital and which naturally has the highest share of employment in the service sector in the country. In two areas of the Central region (Tuscany and Umbria), the figures are still about the same as the national average, but this does not offset the very high indicator in the tertiary sector of the Lazio region.

3. The southern part of Italy, which can be divided according to physical-geographical principles into two regions (island and peninsular), is proposed to be divided somewhat differently. Analyzing employment in the economic sectors of southern Italy, we can conclude that here, by analogy with the northern part, the southwestern and southeastern regions can also be distinguished. Between the western and eastern regions of the south (unlike the northern) there is no such uniformity in the distribution of the number of employees by economic sector. Thus, the South-Western region differs from the South-East in the more pronounced predominance of the tertiary sector of the economy in the employment structure, and in the South-East the industrial sector is more developed. And what unites the South-West and South-East regions is a very high rate of employment in the agricultural sector, 7% and 9% respectively, which is approximately 2 times higher than the national average. It should be noted that the employment rate in the agricultural sector back in 1995 was 11% in the South-West region, and 12% in the South-East.

Thus, the Center, in terms of employment indicators in economic sectors, “pulled up” to the northern regions, and the south improved its employment structure by increasing the number of employees in the tertiary and industrial sectors and a corresponding reduction in employment in the agricultural sector. This gives grounds to distinguish a “dual” employment structure of the population in modern Italy. The first part of this structure includes the regions of the North-West, North-East and Center, and the second - the South.

Due to its small territory and high population density, the issue of waste recycling is acute in modern Italy.

Italy, in terms of its economic level, occupies an intermediate position between the most economically developed countries and countries with an average level of development of productive forces. As in other highly developed countries, in Italy industry is the leading sector of the economy, although it employs a smaller part of the economically active population than the intensively and disproportionately growing service sector. The cost of industrial products exceeds the cost of agricultural products, in which less capital is invested annually than in industry. Industrial products also dominate Italian exports. A significant part of Italy's national wealth is in the hands of monopolies, most of which are among the largest concerns in the capitalist world. They dominate the chemical and electrical industries (Montadison), the automotive industry (FIAT), and the rubber industry (Pirelli). At the same time, there are a great many medium-sized, small and tiny firms in the country, mainly in the light and food industries, as well as in the production of household electrical appliances, equipment for processing synthetic materials, and in some sub-sectors of the machine tool industry. Since the 70s, there has been a noticeable trend towards a reduction in large and an increase in the role of small and medium-sized firms and enterprises. The Italian state actively and in various forms intervenes in the country's economy: its specialized bodies participate in joint stock companies as holders controlling stake shares, industrial enterprises are created in accordance with various government programs. The state has become the largest entrepreneur in the country. Its positions are especially strong in energy, metallurgy, and shipbuilding. He also owns many light industry enterprises. The largest banks were also nationalized. The pace of development of the public sector exceeds the development of the Italian economy as a whole. In modern conditions, state intervention in the economy is not limited to helping individual monopolistic associations develop the least profitable industries or those requiring particularly large capital investments. The main goal of government intervention is to ensure the continuity of the reproduction process. New important feature The development of state-monopoly capitalism in Italy became a national long-term programming of the economy, reflecting the increased degree of concentration and centralization of production and capital, increased monopolization and nationalization of the economy.

The global crisis has exacerbated many economic problems in Italy. In terms of the size of the budget deficit and public debt, Italy is among the five “leaders” of the euro area. Thus, the ratio of public debt to GDP in Italy is more than 100%. Silvio Berlusconi and his finance minister Giulio Tremonti presented a plan to save the economy. The main goal of this plan, according to politicians, is to prevent a repetition of the “Greek scenario” in Italy and save the euro.

This program to rescue the Italian economy involves freezing salaries and deferring the retirement of civil servants, reducing funding for regional administrations, as well as tightening control over tax evasion. The Italian opposition believes that, as in other countries that have approved similar measures, the perpetrators of the current crisis will remain unpunished.

Demography

By the end of 2008, Italy's population exceeded 60 million people. At the moment, the country is in fourth place in terms of population among the countries of the European Union and in 23rd place among countries in the whole world. The population density is 199.2 people per square meter. kilometer - fifth place in the European Union. The highest density is in Northern Italy, where almost half of the country's total population lives. The most densely populated areas of Italy are the plains of Campania, Lombardy and Liguria, where there are over 300 inhabitants per km². This is due to favorable conditions for the development of intensive agriculture, diversified industry, port activities and tourism. The province of Naples in Campania is particularly crowded, with 1 km². concentrated 2531 people. Mountainous areas are much less populated. Here the population density drops to 35 people per 1 km², in the arid and economically underdeveloped areas of Sardinia and Basilicata the population density is 60 people per 1 km².

After World War II, Italy experienced a long economic boom, causing rural migration to cities and stopping emigration, and making the country attractive to immigrants. The birth rate remained high until the 1970s, but soon dropped below the population replacement level. In 2008, every fifth Italian was over 65 years old. Despite this, mainly due to mass immigration in the last two decades, the 2000s saw a rise in birth rates (especially in the northern regions) for the first time in many years. The fertility rate also increased: in 2008 it was 1.41 compared to 1.32 in 2005.

Population size:
1931 - 41.2 million people.
1960 - 51.0 million people.
1977 - 56.3 million people.
2000 - 57.7 million people.
2007 - 60.1 million people.
2008 - 59.9 million people.
2009 - 60.2 million people.

Population structure

by average age:

total: 42.5 years; men: 41.1 years; women: 44.1 years (as of 2007).

according to the age:

from 0 to 14 years: 13.8% (male 4,121,246/female 3,874,971); from 15 to 64 years old: 66.4% (male 19,527,203/female 19,059,897); 65 years and older: 19.9% ​​(male 4,823,244/female 6,741,172) (as of 2007).

Annual population growth

The average annual population growth in 2004 was 0.9% (in 1971-1981 - 0.47%, in 1961-1971 - 0.77%).

Fertility rate

In Italy, the total fertility rate increased to 1.41 (as of 2008).

Immigrants in Italy

Italy is one of the Schengen states. Foreign citizens receive a Schengen visa at the consulate of the country that is the main one for visiting. Tourist visa allows you to stay on the territory of the Schengen countries (including Italy) for a maximum of 90 days in each half-year.

According to Italian government data as of January 2009, there are 3,891,295 foreign citizens registered in Italy, which is about 6.5% of the total population. The approximately half a million children of immigrants born in Italy play a significant role in the overall demographic picture. There is also a significant number of illegal immigrants living in the country. In May 2008, The Boston Globe newspaper estimated their number at 670 thousand people.

With the expansion of the European Union, the latest wave of immigration has been from nearby countries, especially Eastern Europe and increasingly Asia, replacing North Africa as the main source of migrants. About 800 thousand Romanians, including about 10% Roma, are officially registered as living in Italy, surpassing other ethnic minorities such as Albanians and Moroccans. The number of unregistered Romanians is difficult to estimate, but in 2007 the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network estimated the number to be around half a million or more.

As of 2009, the geography of origin of foreign-born Italians was as follows: Europe (53.5%), Africa (22.3%), Asia (15.8%), America (8.1%) and Oceania (0.06%). The foreign population of Italy is distributed unevenly: 87.3% live in the most economically developed northern and central regions country, while only 12.7% live in the agricultural southern part of the peninsula.

Language

The official language is Italian and belongs to the Romance group of languages ​​of the Indo-European family. There are also different dialects of Italian in Italy. It is customary to divide all dialects into dialects of the North, Center and South. Modern Italian language can be called a dialect that has managed to “make a career”; it is widely used in socio-political life. At the same time, the Florentine dialect speaks less about politics and more about culture, just like greatest people arts born in Florence - Dante Alighieri, Giovanni Boccaccio.

The German language is officially recognized as equal to Italian in Bolzano and South Tyrol, Slovenian has regional status in Gorizia and Trieste, French in the Aosta Valley.

Armed forces

The Italian armed forces include: army, navy, air force, carabinieri.

Since January 1, 2005, military service has been abolished. Before this, the conscription age in Italy began at 18 years old, and the service period was 10 months.

Combat-ready population (men): 15-49 years old - 14,248,674 in 2001;

Combat-ready population (men): correspond to military service 15-49 years - 12244166 for 2001;

Military labor reserves (reaching conscription age annually): 304,369 people in 2001;

Military spending: $20.7 billion, which is 1.7% of GDP.

Italy has passed a law abolishing conscription and creating a professional army. Young people born after December 31, 1985 are no longer subject to conscription. “An epochal event” is how Italian Defense Minister Sergio Mattarella emotionally described the decision of the national parliament to abolish universal conscription. However, emotions were quite appropriate here. First of all, because finally a full-fledged professional army is being born in the Apennines, and millions of young Italians will no longer have to experience conflicting feelings when receiving the infamous summons for military service. Indeed, an entire era, which began with Napoleon back in 1802, is coming to an end. However, if desired, the idea of ​​forming an army on the conscription principle can be considered an Italian invention, since three centuries before Napoleon, the wise Nicolo Machiavelli put forward it, not believing in the strength of the Florentine mercenaries.

Formally in the new law we're talking about only on the suspension of military service, since Article 52 of the Italian Constitution provides that “the defense of the Fatherland is the sacred duty of the citizen.” Thus, in the event of the outbreak of war or another extreme situation, the practice of conscription for military service can be resumed. Nevertheless, it is obvious that Rome has set a course for creating a professional army, the number of which by the end of 2006 should be 190 thousand, that is, it will be reduced by 80 thousand military personnel. The law provides for a five-year service for soldiers with the possibility of extending their contract twice for two years. It is also possible to conclude a contract for only one year. It is assumed that, upon leaving the armed forces, the majority of yesterday's military personnel will be accepted into the police, fire departments, and civil defense services. Contract soldiers will be paid 2 million liras (about 1 thousand dollars) monthly, while now ordinary soldiers receive only 180 thousand liras. In addition, the reform opens up the opportunity for women to occupy almost any position in all branches of the military.

Transport connection

Italy has a developed network of railways and roads. More than 90% of passengers and over 80% of cargo are transported by cars. In external transportation, sea transport predominates.

Italy's merchant fleet consists of 667 ships - 17th in terms of total tonnage in the world.

In domestic transportation of goods and passengers, road transport plays the main role, followed by railway transport. The country ranks among the first in the world in terms of railway electrification.

A dense network of modern highways and railways connects the cities of Northern Italy. Due to the elongation of the country from north to south, its network of railways and roads developed mainly in the meridional direction. Latitudinal communications, with the exception of the Padan Plain, are insufficient. Many roads and railways in Italy are laid on steep mountain slopes and therefore have many bridges and tunnels, which increases the cost of their operation. In Italy the role is exceptionally great road transport: it accounts for 3/4 of all land transport of goods. About half of the roads are in northern Italy, in the south of the country the density of the road network is much less. Railways are inferior in importance to roads, but now more capital has begun to be invested in railway construction than in road transport. Some main lines stand out sharply in terms of technical equipment. As a result of such modernization, for example, on the Rome-Florence line, the train can reach speeds of up to 200 km/h. Maritime transport plays a very important role in both internal and external transportation of the country. This is explained by Italy’s position on the Mediterranean waterway, the long coastline, and the presence of islands within the country. There are 144 ports on the shores of Italy. The cargo turnover of the ports is dominated by oil and other mineral raw materials. The largest Italian port of Genoa is one of the most important in the entire Mediterranean. Genoa serves as the gateway to the outside world for the entire North-West of Italy, as well as for Switzerland. Genoa's main rival and competitor on the Adriatic is Trieste, second in Italy in terms of cargo turnover and one of the most important oil ports in Europe. Through Trieste, North-Eastern Italy is connected with other countries of the Mediterranean, Near and Middle East, East Africa And East Asia. The cargo turnover of the ports of Southern Italy (Augusta and Taranto) has increased significantly, which is explained by the development of the oil refining and petrochemical industries. One of the largest passenger ports in the country, Naples is the center of connections between the Apennine Peninsula and Sicily, Sardinia and other islands.

River transport in Italy is poorly developed due to the lack large rivers. Developing quite quickly civil Aviation Italy. Air lines keep in touch largest cities Italy with many cities in Europe, as well as other continents. The country's largest airports - Leonardo da Vinci near Rome, Malpensa and Linate near Milan - serve as important centers international network airlines. Foreign economic relations are vital for Italy's economic development. Almost 15% of all imports are oil. Italy also imports raw materials for metallurgical and other industries: machine tools, industrial equipment, timber, paper, and various types of food. The main export items are mechanical engineering products, mainly vehicles, various equipment, writing and calculating machines, agricultural and food products, especially fruits and vegetables, canned tomatoes, cheeses, ready-made clothes, shoes, chemical and petrochemical products. Trade with France and Germany is especially active. Italy is visited annually by 50 million foreign tourists, mainly from Germany, France, and the USA. In Italy it has long been established material base to receive a large number of tourists. In terms of the number of hotel beds, it ranks first in Foreign Europe.

Pipeline transport: pipeline length: crude oil - 6503 km, refined oil products - 2148 km, natural gas - 19400 km.

Religion

The predominant religion in Italy is Catholicism, practiced by approximately 92% of the population. The center of the Catholic world is the city-state of the Vatican (it houses the residence of Pope John Paul II), which is located within the Italian capital of Rome, on the Monte Vaticano hill. The Vatican is the residence of the head of the Catholic Church, the Pope, international center Roman Catholic Church. The Vatican was established as an independent state in 1929 in accordance with the Lateran Agreements between the Italian government and the Pope.

Italy is a country in which the Catholic Church is unusually strong and this is not surprising: from 1929 to November 26, 1976, Catholicism was considered the state religion of Italy. In Italy, at present, the Church is officially separated from the state, and regulates its relations with the state through special agreements and laws, in particular the “New Concordat” of 1984. The Italian Constitution divides all religions into two categories: “Catholic”, with which the state concludes a Concordat, and non-Catholic religions.

The motivation for expanded cooperation between the state and the Catholic Church in the article of the Concordat is formulated as follows: “The Italian Republic, recognizing the value of religious culture and taking into account that the principles of Catholicism are the historical heritage of the Italian people..?” While the Italian Constitution establishes that citizens have equal rights without distinction of religion, that all religious confessions are equally free before the law, it contains separate provisions regarding the Catholic Church and other churches: that the state and the Catholic Church are independent and sovereign in what belongs to each of these spheres, and their relations are “regulated by the Lateran Treaties”, that non-Catholic denominations have the right to create their own organizations according to their statutes, as long as they do not contradict the Italian legal order, and their relations with the state are determined by law on the basis of agreements with the bodies representing these denominations. The vast majority of Italians go to church periodically, and on holidays such as Christmas and Easter, Catholic churches throughout the country are always full of people.

As of March 31, 2003, the number of parishioners of the Roman Catholic Church in Italy ranges from 57,610,000 to 55,752,000 people (about 96.77% of the Italian population), of which 33 to 38% are active parishioners; 10% of Catholics participate in various church ministries.

Among other Christian denominations, the largest are Jehovah's Witnesses (430,890 parishioners, of which 237,738 are publishers (2008)), Assemblies of God in Italy, Orthodoxy, Federation of Evangelical Churches of Italy (Waldensians, Lutherans, Baptists, Pentecostals, Seventh-day Adventists).

mass media

ANSA - Italian news agency
Corriere Della Sera - Corriere della Sera;
Il Sole24 Ore - Il Sole venticuatro Ore;
Il Giornale - Il Giornale;
La Repubblica - La Republic;
La Stampa - La Stampa;
Avvenire - Avvenire;
Espresso - Espresso;
Ilmanifesto - Ilmanifesto;
Italia Oggi - Italy Oggi;
La Nazione
Specchio - Specchio;
Libero - Libero
Italy in Russian
ItalyNews.ru - Italy on-line - portal about Italy in Russian

A bill that would restrict the media and ban any information about criminal investigations before cases go to trial is being hotly debated in Italy. In response to protests from journalists and ordinary people, politicians say that the nuances of the law will be discussed again.

As the International Press Institute clarified, the bill provides for “a fine of up to 464,700 euros for publishers and up to 20,000 euros for journalists who violate it.” This law will also prohibit taking photos and videos of people without their consent (violation is punishable by imprisonment), and wiretapping telephone conversations until investigators confirm that a crime has been committed. Those who disagree with the bill say that politicians are simply trying to avoid private scandals related to their private lives.

The bill is believed to be in response to wiretapping of prominent politicians, including Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Industry Minister Claudio Scaiola, who was forced to resign.

Education in Italy

Preschool education

Preschool educational institutions are nurseries for children from 6 months to 3 years and kindergartens (scuola materna) for children from 3 to 6 years. Children study in groups of 15-30 people. The purpose of nurseries and kindergartens is the education and development of the child, as well as his preparation for entering primary school. Naturally, there are not enough kindergartens and nurseries for children and almost all of them are privately owned. Payment for kindergarten quite high. Preschool education in Italy is not compulsory.

Secondary education system

Primary School
from 6 to 11 years

Primary school is divided into 2 levels - scuola elementare 1 and scuola elementare 2. Both of these levels are free for everyone. At the end primary school Students take written and oral exams. Based on their results, a certificate of completion of primary school (diploma di licenza elementare) is issued. At this stage, reading, writing, drawing, arithmetic, music are studied - these subjects are compulsory; only religion is studied if desired. Curricula usually also include the study of one foreign language.
Secondary primary school (scuola media)
from 11 to 15 years

At this stage, students study Italian, history, geography, mathematics and science, a foreign language, art and music.
Middle High School
from 15 to 18-19 years old

At this stage, students decide whether to study according to the regular program and prepare to enter a university, or combine their studies with professional training.

Option 1:
The student decides to continue his studies in the regular program. In this case, students continue their education in lyceums, the main task of which is to prepare the student for admission to the University. Lyceums are divided by profile:
classical lyceums;
technical lyceums;
humanitarian lyceums;
linguistic lyceums;
arts lyceums

By choosing this or that profile, the student actually determines his future profession. As a rule, most lyceum graduates enter university.

Option 2:
In addition to school education, students receive some kind of profession. This type of education can be obtained at so-called “institutes” or colleges. Upon completion, students receive a certificate of secondary education (diploma di maturita) and a certificate of professional qualifications.

Higher education

From 18-19 years old.

The Italian higher education system is represented by universities, technical universities, university colleges and academies.

The first stage of higher education is C.D.U. (Corsi di Diploma Universitario) - an analogue of a bachelor's degree. The training lasts 3 years and consists of compulsory, additional subjects and practice.

The second stage of higher education is C. L. (Corsi di Laurea). Lasts from 4 to 5 years, depending on the specialty. Medicine and pharmaceuticals are studied for 6 years.

The third stage of higher education - Corsi di Dottorato di Ricerca, DR and Corsi di Perfezionamento - research doctoral programs and courses of postgraduate specialization, or professional excellence. It can be taken both at Universities and at specialized educational institutions - Scuole di Specializzazione. Upon completion, a specialist diploma or doctorate degree is awarded.

How can a foreign student enter an Italian university?

Requirements:
completed secondary education
knowledge of the language

Foreign applicants do not need to take exams, but, as a rule, Russian secondary education is not enough to enter an Italian university; you must complete at least one course at a Russian university. Each Italian university has its own language testing system, although the results of the official CILS language exam are also accepted.

Scholarships for International Students

Scholarships are awarded in the following fields: linguistics, literature, fine arts, natural sciences, restoration. Undergraduate and graduate students who have received scholarships can study and conduct research in various state educational institutions: universities, academies, conservatories, restoration institutes, the National School of Cinematography, libraries, archives, museums.

For Russian students, scholarships are primarily issued by the Italian cultural institutes in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Sports in Italy

Sport in the Italian Republic occupies an important place in the life of the country. Since the times of Ancient Rome, on the Apennine Peninsula, sporting events were primarily an element of training for warriors, and secondly, spectacles for the entertainment and pleasure of the citizens of Ancient Rome.

Nowadays, attitudes towards sports have changed somewhat. In connection with the development of society and the increase in moral values, sport is primarily considered as a tool for improving the health of the nation, as a means of solving social and other issues. Many young people participate in sports clubs all over Italy. People increasingly began to go to gyms and swimming pools themselves, which is less about sports and more about physical education, however, the general level of attitude towards sports is steadily increasing.

The sport has not become less spectacular; on the contrary, with the development of progress, new types no less spectacular than gladiator fights have appeared. Technical sports, such as motorsports and motorsports. The architectural, design, and financial capabilities of Italy made it possible to build beautiful sports arenas, sports palaces and huge football stadiums. All football clubs in Italy have their own stadiums, which means that in almost every big city it is possible to host matches not only of the Italian championship, but also of European and even world level. Everyone is well aware of the attitude of Italians towards football. Italian football truly occupies a leading position in world football.

Nature, landscape, a huge number of mountains, mountain rivers, lakes, endless coastlines provide the prerequisites for the development of sports such as alpine skiing, paragliding, swimming, sailing.

Italy at the Olympics

Italy stood at the origins of the Olympic movement and actively participated in the development of the Olympic movement. Only twice in the entire history of the Olympic Games have Italian athletes not taken part in the Olympics. Italy did not take part in the 1st Olympic Games in 1896, which were held in Athens, and in 1904 in the 3rd Olympic Games in the USA in St. Louis. Even at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, which was boycotted by almost the entire Western world, Italian athletes naturally competed under the Italian flag.

Italian athletes always perform successfully at the Olympic Games. In the entire history of the Olympics, Italy has won 190 gold medals, and according to this indicator it ranks 5th in the world, beating such “mighty” countries as Germany (163 medals) and China (163). In terms of the number of Olympic gold medals, Italy is behind only the USA (929 gold medals), the USSR (395), Great Britain (207) and France (191).

Three times Italy was honored to host the Olympic Games in its country. The first time this happened was in 1956, when the VII Winter Olympic Games were held in the small town of Cortina d'Ampezzo (Italian: Cortina d'Ampezzo) in northern Italy in the Lomabardia region. And in 1960, the capital of Italy, Rome, became the capital of the XVII Summer Olympic Games. The last Olympic Games in Italy were held in 2006 in the capital of the Piedmont region, Turin (Italian: Torino), these were the XX Winter Olympic Games.

The most important Olympic sport for Italians is fencing, because this sport brings the largest number of medals to Italy. So the famous Italian fencer Nedo Nadi (1894-1940) won 5 gold medals at the 1920 Olympics! Other legendary Italian fencers include three-time Olympic champion Giulio Gaudini (1904-1948), and Edoardo Mangiarotti won his first Olympic gold medal in 1936 (Olympic Games in Berlin), and his last at the 1960 Olympics in Rome! Among modern Italian Olympians who successfully compete in fencing: Aldo Montano (Italian: Aldo Montano), Andrea Cassara (Italian: Andrea Cassara`), Salvatore Sanzo (Italian: Salvatore Sanzo), Valentina Vezzali (Italian: Valentina Vezzali).

Italian cyclists achieve great success at the Olympic Games, World and European Championships, among whom we can recall the following names: Fausto Coppi, Marino Morettini, Felice Gimondi, Gianni Bugno, Mario, Cipollini, Marco Pantani, Paolo Bettini. Italian representatives of the “queen of sports” - athletics, shooters, rowers and swimmers, skiers and alpine skiers - Stefania Belmondo and Manuela di Centa and other athletes also compete successfully.

Football, motorsports and Formula 1 racing deserve more detailed story. Read our articles “Italian Football”, “Motorsports”, “Formula Uno” in the sub-headings of the same name in the “Sport” section.

Sights of Italy

About 60% of Europe's cultural treasures are concentrated in Italy; almost every Italian city is a real open-air history museum. In addition to countless cultural monuments and ruins of ancient Roman civilization, the country has excellent natural conditions - snow-white slopes of the Alpine mountains, beautiful beaches of the Adriatic and Mediterranean coasts and charming lakes of the north.

Rome is one of the largest attractions in Italy and the world. Within its borders is the city-state of the Vatican, as well as priceless monuments and ensembles of antiquity - the Roman and Imperial Forums, Via Appia, Arch of Septimius Severus, Basilica Emilia, Curia, Temple of Antoninus and Faustina, House of the Vestals, Temple of Vesta, Temple of Romulus, Temple Castor and Pollux, Basilica of Maxentius, Arch of Titus, Palatine, Domus Augustana, Palazzo del Flavi, Hippodrome Stadium, symbol of the city - the Colosseum, ancient Hippodrome Circus Maximus (Circo Massimo), the best preserved ancient Roman building and the best example of the architecture of the period Adriana - Pantheon (circa 125 AD), Baths of Caracalla and many other magnificent buildings.

Monuments of the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque are also no less diverse - the Catacombs, in which the first Christians took refuge from persecution, early Christian and medieval churches, decorated with magnificent mosaics, surrounded by grandiose palaces, the most famous square of Rome - Piazza Navona with three fountains, Piazza di Spagna, Capitoline Hill , Fontana di Trevi, Santa Sanctorum Chapel, which houses the Scala Santa - the staircase along which Christ ascended to the court of Pontius Pilate, the Jesuit church of Sant'Ignazio, the church of St. Lawrence (patron of Rome), Santa Maria Maggiore , Basilica of St. John Lateran (IV century, rebuilt in the 17th-18th centuries), Basilica of St. Paul (IV century), Basilica of St. Peter in Chains (V century, inside there is a marble sculpture of Moses by himself Michelangelo), the churches of Trinita dei Monti (XV century), St. Praxeda, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, Chapel Santa Sanctorum, St. John's Cathedral, San Paolo Fuori le Mura (Cathedral St. Paul-without-the-Walls), the fort of Castel Sant'Angelo (originally built as a mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian and rebuilt as a fortification in the Middle Ages), the Naiad fountain in Piazza Repubblica and the Triton fountain in Piazza Barberini, Baths of Diocletian (IV century. n. BC), turned into a church according to Michelangelo’s design, as well as a huge number of other attractions, without which it is impossible to imagine the “Eternal City”.

Museums and exhibition galleries Rome is also included in the treasury of world culture. The Borghese Gallery has an excellent collection of ancient and baroque art. Palazzo Massimo alle Terme is the country's most complete collection of ancient art, numismatics and ancient mosaics. The finest antique bronze sculptures are housed in a separate building. The Capitoline Museums on the hill of the same name are a whole complex of art galleries and exhibition halls with an excellent collection of antique sculpture and mosaics. Palazzo Barberini (Museum of Ancient Art) is one of the country's best collections of icons, portraits and other works by the great masters of the Renaissance.

On the picturesque hills not far from the capital lies an entire recreation area for the Roman nobility and emperors. In Castelgandolfo, right on the site of the legendary city of Alba Longa - the birthplace of Remus and Romulus, the Villa of the Pope is located. Nearby lie the unique crater lakes Alba and Nemi, giving the landscape a special charm. In Tivoli (30 km from Rome), the grandiose ruins of Hadrian's Villa (118 AD), called the “Villa of Five Hundred Fountains,” attract attention. Villa d'Este (1550) is a grandiose piece of landscape art. Also attractive is the nearby Villa Gregoriana with a magnificent waterfall (about 160 m high), grottoes and a park. Lido di Ostia (28 km from Rome) - formerly busy sea ​​port The Roman Empire with an amphitheater, temples, cobbled streets and luxurious baths, not far from which a later city arose with a modern recreation area - sandy beaches, small hotels, a beautiful promenade and many bars and restaurants.

Milan is one of ancient cities countries. The mixture of Austrian, French and Italian cultures contributed to the emergence of completely unique works of art and architecture here. The heart of Milan is the huge Piazza Duomo with the equestrian statue of King Vittorio Emanuel II, the Northern Palace with the Arc de Triomphe and the openwork Gothic Milan Cathedral (1386-1813). On the highest spire of the cathedral rises famous statue Madonnas made of gilded bronze are more than 4 m high. To the right of the cathedral is the building of the Royal Palace, which served as the city hall until 1138, and then as the Visconti ducal palace. The palace was heavily damaged by bombing in 1943, but was restored and now houses the State Museum of Modern Art and the Duomo Museum.
Not far from the cathedral, opposite the cross-shaped Vittorio Emanuele gallery, is the famous La Scala opera house. The glory of Milan is also the Church of Sant'Ambrogio (IX-XV centuries), the Church of St. Mauricio of the Maggiore Monastery, one of the most luxurious castles in Italy - Castello Sforzesco (XVI century), the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie (XV century ., in the refectory - the painting “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci), the Church of San Lorenzo Maggiore with the Chapel of San Aculino, the early Christian Church of St. Lorenzo with mosaics of the 4th century, the Romanesque Church of Santa Eustorgio with a pearl of the Renaissance - the Portnari Chapel and etc.

Milan is rightfully proud of the unique works of art that are stored in its museums, such as the Brera Gallery (“Pinacoteca di Brera”), which is famous for its painting, the Castello Museum - a collection of ancient sculpture, frescoes and majolica, and the Ambrosiana Picture Gallery (“ Pinacoteca Ambrosiana") - a wide range of paintings. The National Museum of Science and Technology houses Leonardo da Vinci's scientific projects and interesting contemporary collections on the history of railways, aeronautics and navigation. The Archaeological Museum has a magnificent collection of Etruscan, Greek and Romanesque art. Poldi Pezzoli Museum - antique ceramics, one of the best collections of weapons and armor in the world. Gallery of Contemporary Art (“d'Arte Moderna”) - an excellent exhibition of works by contemporary authors.
In the vicinity of Milan there is the Minitalia amusement park, many beautiful lakes and the modern Formula 1 racing track in Monza.

In Verona, thousands of tourists are attracted by Piazza Bra (1st century) - the ancient Roman arena, which is the second largest after the Colosseum, the Church of San Zeno (5th century), the house and tomb of Juliet, Erbe and Signoria Square, the Stone Bridge and the Old Lock.

Florence is not inferior to Rome in the wealth and grandeur of its monuments. The most famous monuments of the city include the Palazzo Vecchio (“old Palace”, 1299-1314), Piazza della Signoria, the building of the Uffizi Gallery, the Bargello Palace, Palazzo Pitti - the most grand palace Florence, the Church of San Lorenzo and the Medici Chapel with the tombs of the Dukes, the Cathedral and Convent of San Marco, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Novella, the Church of Or San Michele and the observation deck on Piazzale Michelangelo. Definitely worth a visit gothic cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore (1296-1461), Giotto's bell tower (14th century) and the Signoria Tower, the Baptistery of San Giovanni ("Gates of Heaven") with gilded bronze gates, the famous Ponte Vecchio ("Old Bridge" ) and the Cathedral of Santa Croce (XIII-XIV centuries) with the “Pantheon of Florence” - the tombs of Michelangelo, Macchiavelli, Galileo, Rossini, Dante, etc. And this is only a small part of the city’s attractions!

Florence has a huge number of museums and parks. The Uffizi Gallery is not only one of the oldest museums in Italy (1560), but also the most complete and significant collection of Italian painting in the world. The Museum of San Marco is located in the building of an ancient Dominican monastery (XIV century) and is famous for the frescoes and paintings of the great Dominicans Fra Beato Angelico (1395-1455) and Fra Bartolomeo, as well as the cell of Savonarola. Also of interest are the Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts, the Pitti Gallery in the Royal Apartments, the Palatine Gallery, the Gallery of Modern Art, the Silver Museum, the Carriage Museum, the National Bargello Museum, the Archaeological Museum in the Crocetta Palace with an extensive collection of ancient art, as well as the Medici Museum in the Medici-Ricardi Palace (XV century).

Venice is built on 122 islands connected by 400 bridges. This is a real monument city, where absolutely any building can claim the title of historical. Most of the Venetian canal streets are so narrow that you can easily rest your hands on the walls of opposite houses, while the buildings themselves reach a height of 7 floors. There are practically no banks of the canals - majestic houses “grow” right out of the water. One of the main attractions of the city is the Grand Canal, which runs through the entire city and is about 4 km long. with a width of up to 70 m. The Grand Canal leads to the central square of Venice - Piazza San Marco with the 11th century cathedral of the same name and the famous palace (and prison) Palazzo Doge. A colossal number of ancient monuments are scattered throughout the city - the famous “Golden Bridge” (“Rialto”), “Bridge of Sighs” and “Bridge of Changers”, the building of the Old and New Procurations, the Venir de Leoni Palace, the library, the Clock Tower, the Campanile bell tower with an observation deck, numerous palaces of the Venetian nobility, the grandiose Arsenal complex, the Cathedral of Santa Maria della Salute, the Frari Basilica, the 15th century Ca' d'Oro ("Golden House") palace and the Merceria shopping street. Many palaces now house museums, including such famous collections as the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (Italy's largest collection of modern art), the Museum of Venice, the Naval Museum (model ships and modern weapons), the Accademia Gallery, the city's Correr Museum ( historical and art collections), School of the Confraternity of St. Rocco (paintings by Tintoretto), etc.

Venice is built on 122 islands connected by 400 bridges. This is a real monument city, where absolutely any building can claim the title of historical. Most of the Venetian canal streets are so narrow that you can easily rest your hands on the walls of opposite houses, while the buildings themselves reach a height of 7 floors. There are practically no banks of the canals - majestic houses “grow” right out of the water. One of the main attractions of the city is the Grand Canal, which runs through the entire city and is about 4 km long. with a width of up to 70 m. The Grand Canal leads to the central square of Venice - Piazza San Marco with the 11th century cathedral of the same name and the famous palace (and prison) Palazzo Doge. A colossal number of ancient monuments are scattered throughout the city - the famous “Golden Bridge” (“Rialto”), “Bridge of Sighs” and “Bridge of Changers”, the building of the Old and New Procurations, the Venir de Leoni Palace, the library, the Clock Tower, the Campanile bell tower with an observation deck, numerous palaces of the Venetian nobility, the grandiose Arsenal complex, the Cathedral of Santa Maria della Salute, the Frari Basilica, the 15th century Ca' d'Oro ("Golden House") palace and the Merceria shopping street. Many palaces now house museums, including such famous collections as the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (Italy's largest collection of modern art), the Museum of Venice, the Naval Museum (model ships and modern weapons), the Accademia Gallery, the city's Correr Museum ( historical and art collections), School of the Confraternity of St. Rocco (paintings by Tintoretto), etc.
Venice is also famous as the birthplace of the famous “Murano glass”; on the island of Murano there is a museum, workshops and exhibitions Venetian glass, as well as the Church of St. Mary and Donato (XII century). The resort island of Lido has nice sandy beaches and is also famous for its Casino Municipal, the world's only luxury casino accessible only by water.

Padua, founded around the 6th century. BC BC, the birthplace of one of the oldest European universities and a major scientific and cultural center of the Middle Ages, is now considered one of the most beautiful cities Europe. From Piazza Valle, narrow medieval streets, paved with uneven paving stones, radiate in different directions. In the city center, opposite Piazza del Santo, there is a house in which in the mid-15th century. Donatello lived. The beautiful Church of St. Antonio (Basilica Del Santo) is one of the main attractions of the city.
Every year in June, when the day of St. Antonio, revered by all Italians, is celebrated, pilgrims from all over the world come to Padua to see the embalmed fragments of the saint’s body, with which the altar has been “decorated” since 1232, and which still allegedly have miraculous properties. The Palazzo del Bo, with its typical medieval architecture, which housed the University of Padua at the end of the 16th century, still serves the cause of education today. Along the perimeter it is decorated with marble medallions with images of all the famous graduates and teachers of this “university” over its almost 800-year history. The many historical buildings in the city itself allow it to compete even with Florence and Milan.

Pisa is famous for the carefully trimmed, bright green grass carpet of the Prato de Miracoli (Field of Miracles), which is dominated by the Baptistery, the Leaning Tower of the Campanile and the Camposanto Cemetery. This place was sacred back in Etruscan times, and in the Roman era the Palladium stood here. In 1063, in honor of the victory of the Pisan fleet, a cathedral began to be built in the harbor of Palermo on the foundations of the Palladium to perpetuate the victory of the “Maritime Republic”. And literally immediately the new building began to tilt, turning into the most popular tower in Italy, attempts to “save” it continue to this day. Now the Cathedral Square of Pisa is considered unparalleled in the world.

The pearl of southern Italy is Naples (“Neapolis” - New town), located in a picturesque location on the shores of the Gulf of Naples. The city has absorbed a variety of languages ​​and cultures, creating its own unique “Neapolitan style”. Business card Naples is the volcano Vesuvius, at the foot of which the city is located. Even during the Roman Empire, the area was known as a vacation spot for the nobility, who built baths and stadiums, villas and theaters here. By the 19th century the nearby coast became a traditional resort for the aristocracy and bohemia, including Russians. Clear sea, mountain air, many thermal springs and rich culture attract many tourists to Naples, but the city itself is considered the most overpopulated and one of the most urbanized in Europe.
Naples has preserved many churches and museums - Royal Palace(XVII century), Chapel of St. Januarius (San Gennaro, patron of the city) with holy relics, Campodimonte Museum and Gallery, National Museum di San Martino, Gallery dei Girolamini, Chiostro di Santa Chiara Museum, historical apartments of the Palazzo Reale, San Carlo Theater, etc. Here is also the largest archaeological museum in Europe - the National Archaeological Museum, famous for its unique collection of exhibits, telling about the life of the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius. Near Naples there is Europe's largest wholesale shopping mall"Sis Nola", the resort islands of Capri, Ventoten and Ischia, as well as children's health complex Castro Boleto and the popular resort of Sorrento. TO natural wonders This area includes the grottos di Pertosa, 70 km. from Salerno, which are about 35 million years old.

A characteristic feature of Italian ski resorts is the combination of several ski areas into one large ski area using a single lift system. This is very convenient for tourists, but often completely confusing - no one knows where the boundaries between resorts are - the slopes are so densely arranged and the transition from the magnificent snow fields of one to the equally beautiful slopes of another is so easy. The most prestigious resorts in the country are concentrated in the Dolomites. The mountainous country of Dolomiti Super Ski with the resorts of Val Gardena, Val di Fassa, Alta Badia, Arabba, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Kronplatz, Alta Pusteria, Val di Fiemme, San Martino di Castrozza, Valle Isarco, Tre Valli and Civetta are 1180 km. slopes and 464 lifts.
West of Trento is the Dolomiti di Brenta area - Madonna di Campiglio, Pinzolo, Val di Sole, Passo Tonale and Monte Bondone > - 260 km. slopes and 103 lifts.

There are three ski regions in the Val di Fassa. The Sella Ronda mountain range is literally surrounded by resort towns (Canazei, Campitello, Alba and Pena) and entangled with strings of ski lifts - a huge area of ​​477 km. served by 13 funiculars, 12 cabin lifts, 85 chair lifts and 105 drag lifts.
Val Gardena is a fabulously beautiful valley stretching over 15 km. at the foot of Mount Sassolungo (“Long Stone”), which includes three resort towns - Ortisei, Santa Cristina (1466 m) and Selva Gardena (1563 m). All slopes are connected by a continuous network of slopes and lifts with altitudes from 2518 to 1563 m, so you can move from one ski area to another without taking off your skis. Through Passo Gardena you can easily reach the neighboring area of ​​Alta Badia (height - 2138-1433 m, 39 lifts) with the resorts of Colfosco and Corvara. The height of Val Gordena itself is about 1563 m, there are 77 ski lifts, 175 km. slopes, discos, bars, restaurants, shops, skating rinks and swimming pools. Ortisei has an indoor tennis and squash center, as well as a riding school and local history museum, most of the exhibition is dedicated to the art of local wood carving. The picturesque Renaissance castle of Fischburg (17th century) is also located nearby.

Arabba is an extreme ski resort, famous for its most difficult slopes. There are 52 km in total. excellent pistes at altitudes from 1636 to 2550 m, and through the Passo Pordoi and Passo di Campolongo passes, through a network of continuous pistes and lifts, you can easily reach the neighboring Val di Fassa and Alta Badia, as well as visit the best viewpoint site in the Dolomites on the peak of Sass Pordoi (2590 m.).
The Tre Valley region includes the small but very cozy resorts of Moena and Passo San Pellegrino, the Alpa di Luzia and Falcade valleys. The central region includes the resorts of Pozza, Vigo and Pera di Fassa.

Cortina d'Ampezzo is one of the most famous ski resorts, the capital of the 1956 Winter Olympic Games, located in a natural mountain bowl in the heart of the Dolomites at an altitude of 1224 m. There are 70 hotels, 81 ski lifts, 140 km. ski slopes with altitudes from 1224 to 3000 m, and 130 km. cross-country ski trails, a large ice sports palace and many restaurants, cafes and bars.
Courmayeur is one of the most famous resorts in Italy, lying at the foot of the majestic Mont Blanc at an altitude of 1224 m. Courmayeur, together with Chamonix in France, forms a single huge international ski area, here at altitudes from 1224 to 2756 m a real network of pistes with a length of about 100 km has been formed. (including 7 “black ones”), there is the possibility of night skiing, 27 lifts and a 25-kilometer flat ski track. The city itself is also picturesque, having long ago turned into a major tourist center.

The Alta Valtellina region in Lombardy, on the very border with Switzerland, is quite versatile - there are many places for winter holidays, but there are also all the conditions for other types of tourism - the Stelvio National Park, amazingly beautiful alpine lakes, pristine flora and fauna, as well as an abundance of mountain slopes of varying degrees of difficulty.
The resort of Aprica is located at an altitude of 1113 m. next to the Orobie-Valtellinesi Natural Park, so along with 40 km. ski slopes, here you can have a great rest on routes for mountaineering and snowboarding. The area is also very popular in the summer.

Bormio - famous resort at the foot of the Cima Bianca peak (3017 m) in the Alta Valtellina area, in the heart of the Alps, which can rightfully be called a “ski Mecca”. Nowhere else in Italy are there so many international competitions of the highest rank. The height of the resort is 1203 m, there are 35 lifts serving over 200 km. pistes in the areas of Bormio, Santa Caterina and Livigno. And fans of a more relaxing holiday are attracted by the beauty of the Stelvio National Park, untouched nature and fantastic landscapes of the Alps.

In the vicinity of Bormio there are many small independent ski centers- Val Di Dentro (1420 - 2550 m, length of slopes - 30 km, 13 lifts), Livigno, Val Federia (1800 - 3000 m, length of slopes - 110 km, 18 lifts), Carosello, etc. .
Lively resort centers, and not just ski resorts, are scattered throughout the wide Val di Fiemme valley. The largest of them are Cavalese, Predazzo, Alpe Cermis, Belamonte and the Latemar ski center. The height of the valley is about 1000 m, there are more than 40 lifts serving the ski area from 1000 to 2327 m with a length of slopes of about 140 km, developed services, including indoor sports centers with swimming pools, skating rinks, numerous restaurants, bars and shops .

Cervinia is one of the best “pure ski” regions in the country. It is located in the north-west of the country, on the very border with Switzerland, which allows you to visit neighboring Zermatt. The majestic alpine “four thousand meters” - Monte Rosa (4663 m), Breithorn, Castore and Matterhorn (4478 m) create a stunning panorama. The majestic peak of Monte Rosa (the second highest peak in Europe), dominates three valleys: Val de Ayas with the resort of Champoluc, Gressoney with the resorts of Gressoney St. John, Gressoney la Trinity and Stafal, as well as Alagna-Valsesia, which form the Monte Rosa resort. Numerous slopes begin from the Rosa Plateau (3492 m), among which there are some that will take the breath away of the most experienced skiers. You can ride in Cervinia for weeks and never repeat the route! It's about 200 km. serious slopes of any degree of difficulty in Cervinia itself and in the neighboring resort of Valtornens, 37 lifts, 8 km. flat ski tracks, a large number of restaurants, six discos, shops, boutiques, cinemas, bowling, a variety of nightlife, game rooms, swimming pools, a sauna and a gym.

The sea surrounding Italy is known for its picturesque coastline, thousands of cozy coves, dozens of small islands and golden sand beaches. By tradition, the rating of Italian beaches and seaside resorts is regularly published in the open press. The “best of the best” are Vernazza, Riomaggiore, Monterosso el Mare (Liguria), Otranto and Tremiti (Apulia), Pollica and Camerota (Campania), Ustica (Sicily), Sirolo (Marche), Villasimus and Orosei (Sardinia) and Castiglion della Pascaia (Tuscany).
On the Adriatic, good seaside resorts are located in the area of ​​Rimini and Ravenna - inexpensive resorts Milan Marittima, Bellaria, Cesenatico or in the center of Rimini. This region has one of the most developed resort infrastructures - many sports facilities, several water parks, concerts, festivals and performances are held throughout the season.

The heart of the Italian Adriatic Riviera is considered to be the region of Emilia-Romagna, 20 km away. north of Rimini. Here are the famous resorts of Bellaria and Igea Marina - a whole network of modern comfortable hotels, bars and restaurants, well-equipped sandy beaches stretching for 7 kilometers, a gentle sea, 5 football fields, 15 courts, 3 skating tracks, gyms, windsurfing and sailing schools, a water park and amusement park, discos and dance floors.
In the north of the Adriatic Riviera lies Venetian Riviera With prestigious resort Lido di Esolo, located 35 km. from Venice. Lignano (50 km from Venice) is a great place for family vacation with kids. Here, in vast park areas, there are hotels and the best children's camps in Italy, including children's health Center"Adriatica", famous for its magnificent sandy beaches and water park.

The Marche region or “Palm Riviera” is 180 km. coast from Mare Gabicce to San Benedetto del Tronto. Mare Gabicce is famous for its cozy small bay with sandy shores, many hotels and gardens, restaurants, pizzerias and nightclubs, as well as the surrounding cliffs from which a wonderful panorama opens.
Grottammare was known as a seaside resort in the Middle Ages and still retains the fortress walls that protected it, in addition to excellent beaches, while San Benedetto del Tronto is the largest bathing area in the province of Piceno.

The Riviera Lazio stretches along Tyrrhenian Sea more than 100 km. Thanks to its climate with the highest number of sunny days of the year on the Tyrrhenian Sea, as well as a warm climate that allows the beach season to be extended from May to November, this region has become one of the most visited seaside resorts in the country. There are beautiful wide sandy beaches, steep cliffs, crystal clear sea, fortress walls of different eras, temples and baths, summer residences of emperors and rich patricians, numerous medieval fortresses and palaces, abbeys and churches... The calling card of the region is Mount Circeo with karst grottoes, one of which, the Guattari grotto, was found the skull of a man who lived 50 thousand years ago. The nearby towns of San Felice Circeo, Sabaudia, Ponze, Santa Marinella, Terracina, Sperlonga and Gaeta are also interesting, in each of which you can find relaxation to your liking and beautiful beaches.

The pearl of the Tyrrhenian coast is Maratea, which is a reserve of untouched nature, protected by the state and UNESCO. This narrow strip of land along the Gulf of Policastro, between the unusually transparent sea and densely forested mountains, with myriads of small sandy beaches and grottoes, picturesque rocky shores, clean air and mild, fertile climate, is a wonderful holiday destination. In the vicinity of the city there are many Greek temples and Roman baths, Norman castles and medieval abbeys. In addition, from here it is convenient to visit the famous excavations of Pompeii at the foot of active volcano Vesuvius, Naples, the famous resort of Sorrento and the island of Capri.

The island of Ischia is interesting for its springs thermal waters, health resorts based on them and high-class hotels, many of which have all imaginable or unimaginable awards for quality of service. More than 100 diving centers have been built along the coast, horse trails have been laid, and there are about 60 equestrian tourism centers and schools and golf clubs.

Sardinia is one of the cleanest islands in the Mediterranean. It has preserved its traditional patriarchal way of life, its original diverse culture and traditions, the beaches are not crowded, the sea is emerald, there are many beautiful grottoes and caves, and festivals and holidays are held almost all year round.
The northern coast is famous for its granite monoliths and picturesque archipelagos - La Maddalena, Caprera, Tavolara and Molara. Isola Rossa (“Red Island”) – pleasant tourist resort with many beaches, got its name from the pink granite cliffs on the shore. The elite resort of Costa Smeralda (“Emerald Coast”) is world famous - a kingdom of granite rocks, green juniper, pristine beaches and small islands. Here is the famous Italian golf club Pevero and the gorgeous beach of the same name.

The northeastern part of the island is interesting for its limestone cliffs and Neptune's cave, which is reached by 656 steps from the top of the cliff at Capo Cacia, as well as the beaches of Algero and picturesque island Asinara, which formerly served as a prison. Now there is a national park, and a tourist center is being built nearby, which will become a base for excursions around Asinara in the future.
On the east coast there are the beautiful beaches of San Teodoro and Budoni, considered the longest stretch of wild beaches in the country. Near the beach there is a Nissan car service which is conveniently located for tourists. On the shores of the Gulf of Orosei grows one of the last tracts of coastal subtropical forest in Europe. From the sea, these beaches are surrounded by giant limestone cliffs, secluded beaches and coastal caves are practically isolated from the rest of the land. Further to the south stretch the wild and little-known to tourists banks of Tortoli, Barisardo, Gairo and Tertenia.

In the south of the island is the province of Cagliari with the capital of Sardinia - the port of Cagliari. Of interest here are the sand dunes of Pistis and Piscinas, the ferruginous-limestone cliffs of Iglesiente near Masua Nebida, which represent an unusual and impressive sight. In the Sulcis Archipelago you can trek along dizzying paths over cliffs or under gray and red rocks. The Gulf of Cagliari is a flat sandy coast with numerous beaches and lagoons, which are inhabited by a large number of waterfowl.
Costa del Sud (" South coast") is interesting for beaches known only local residents hidden coves and ruins of the beautiful Roman city of Nora.

On the southwest coast stretch great beaches Muravera, Castiadas and Villasimius, the water temperature here is higher than on the rest of the country's coast. On the west coast there are many steep banks, beautiful dark volcanic rocks, among which you can find absolutely wild beaches in small coves. The tourist resort of Sinis, located near the city of Oristano, is widely known on the peninsula of the same name, which is famous for its white sand beaches, as well as its rich archaeological heritage - the city of Tharros founded by the Phoenicians, numerous monuments and monuments from the era of the Punic Wars.

The mountainous landscapes of Sardinia are the most attractive attraction for tourists after the coast. The most famous is the main mountain range of the island - Barbagia, with the highest point of the island - the Gennargentu mountain range (1835 m). In addition, mention should be made of the granite massifs of Gallura with the Limbara mountains, Monte Ortobene in Nuoro, the huge nature reserve Supramonte with hundred-year-old holm oaks, caves, gorges and springs gushing from porous limestone, many smaller peaks made of granite rocks, rising among the original oak forests. Of interest are the Sulcis Mountains, covered with the largest evergreen forest in the Mediterranean, the Iglesiente ridge and the wooded Monti del Sette Fratelli, where you can see the rare red Sardinian deer among the holm oaks.

The country's national parks and reserves are few in number, but very well maintained and beautiful. The oldest of them is National Park Gran Paradiso (72 thousand hectares) - the only place, home to mountain goats and chamois, as well as marmots, stoats, foxes and eagles. The largest National Park in Italy in Stelvio (135 thousand hectares) is located among fantastically beautiful mountain ranges near the border with Switzerland. Here you can find deer, chamois, roe deer, ground squirrels and pheasants in abundance, you can go mountain climbing, ride sled dogs, attend folk festivals and festivals, music concerts and folk festivals.
The national reserve in Abruzzi (30 thousand hectares) is located in one of the highest regions of the Apennines, where you can meet the last Abruzzese brown bears in Italy. You can make unforgettable walking trips of any length and degree of difficulty to the most picturesque places with an overnight stay with all the amenities and visits to museums. The Orobie-Valtellinesi Regional Park is located near the resort of Aprica, and is famous place recreation both in winter and summer.

Useful information for tourists about Italy, cities and resorts of the country. As well as information about the population, currency of Italy, cuisine, features of visa and customs restrictions in Italy.

Geography of Italy

The Italian Republic is a state in southern Europe. It borders France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia.

The Dolomite mountains that cross northern Italy are part of the Alps mountain range. The Apennines run through the center of Italy, stretching from north to south and dividing eastern and west coasts.

Italy also has two independent countries. The Vatican is the center of the Roman Catholic Church, and smallest country in the world - San Marino, which is located on the northern coast of Italy and is an independent republic.

State

State structure

Italy is a parliamentary republic.

Language

Official language: Italian

In the northern provinces, French, German and Slovenian are spoken. Sardinians speak a dialect close to the Latin language of the ancient Romans.

English and French are understood almost everywhere in hotels, restaurants, and travel agencies. The German language is understood primarily in resort areas in the northern Adriatic and lakes.

Religion

98% of the population are Catholics.

Currency

International name: EUR

Currency can be exchanged at currency exchange offices, banks, and post offices. At airports, as a rule, the exchange rate is unfavorable, but exchange offices there operate around the clock.

In Italy, all common credit cards are in use; in the cities, in many restaurants, hotels, shops and department stores, Visa, American Express, Mastercard, Diner’s Club and Carte Blanche are accepted, but at most gas stations they require payment in cash. In rural areas, card payments are not accepted.

History of Italy

The first Italians in the world were the ancient Paleolithic people, who settled the Apennine Peninsula more than 100 thousand years ago. In the 2nd millennium BC, Aryan tribes penetrated here, one of which was the Latin tribe, which built Rome in the 8th century BC. The entire subsequent history of Italy was connected in one way or another with this small city-state. Having overthrown the last king in the 6th century BC, Roman citizens proclaimed a republic and for several centuries stubbornly defended its independence from neighboring peoples.

The strengthening of social unity by the 4th century BC allowed the republic to move on to conquest itself. In the 3rd century BC, having already owned the entire Apennine Peninsula, it began to gain dominance in the Mediterranean Sea. Decisive victories over Carthage and Macedonia in the 2nd century BC secured this right. However, in the middle of the 1st century BC, authoritarian tendencies intensified in the country. In the 40s BC, Julius Caesar made an unsuccessful attempt to establish imperial power, supported by his successors. By the 1st century AD, the republican form of government was virtually destroyed. The heyday of imperial Rome came in the 2nd century AD, when its possessions extended from England to the Caucasus and Egypt.

The development of early Christian ideology, combined with internal contradictions that intensified from the 3rd century, led the empire to decline. At the end of the 4th century it split into the Western and Eastern (Byzantine) Roman Empire. Already in the 5th century, almost the entire Western Roman Empire was conquered by neighboring peoples. In 476 it ceased to exist. Over the following centuries, Italy was alternately ruled by the Ostrogoths, Byzantines and Lombards, until the French king Charles subjugated it in the 8th century. Having taken Rome, Charles created a new empire, which collapsed in the 9th century. An attempt in the 10th century by the German kings, who once again captured Rome, to create the now “Holy Roman Empire” did not lead to success. Italy did not want to submit to its northern neighbors.

In the cities of Northern and Central Italy in the 14th–16th centuries, early capitalist relations developed (for the first time in the world) (Southern Italy developed more slowly). The development of cities and the emergence of early capitalist relations contributed to the emergence of the Renaissance culture. The disintegration of Italy into several dozen semi-independent principalities facilitated the aggressive plans of its neighbors. During the Middle Ages, it was repeatedly attacked by the French, Arabs, Normans and Hungarians. Its most powerful city-states, Genoa and Venice, were unable to either defend or unite the country. As a result, in the 16th century, almost all of Italy was politically dependent on Spain, which was replaced by Austrian influence in the 18th century. At the turn of the 18th–19th centuries, the peninsula became the prey of Napoleonic France, and after liberation, in 1815, it again turned into a conglomerate of a dozen microscopic states. The kingdom of Piedmont was considered the most influential. It was it that led the struggle for a unified state in the 1850s. By the end of 1860, Italy was largely united around the Kingdom of Sardinia (from 1861 the Kingdom of Italy). The unification ended in 1870 when Rome was annexed to Italy.

Italy's desire to expand its possessions in Europe forced it to take part in the First World War against Germany. Minor gains and the attitude of the “great” powers as a secondary political force led to the fascists coming to power in 1922. Their defeat in an alliance with Germany in 1945 returned Italy to the path of democratic development. Currently, it is a fairly developed industrial country with a high standard of living.

The first Italians in the world were the ancient Paleolithic people, who settled the Apennine Peninsula more than 100 thousand years ago. In the 2nd millennium BC, Aryan tribes penetrated here, one of which was the Latin tribe, which built Rome in the 8th century BC. The entire subsequent history of Italy was connected in one way or another with this small city-state. Having overthrown the last king in the 6th century BC, Roman citizens proclaimed a republic and for several centuries stubbornly defended its independence from neighboring peoples....

Popular attractions

Tourism in Italy

Where to stay

Many tourists from all over the world come to Italy, because there really is something to admire here. Thanks to the developed tourism infrastructure in Italy, it is not difficult to find hotels for every taste and budget - from fashionable chain hotels to small family boarding houses. The grading of hotels is the same as in other European countries - from one to five stars. At the same time, star rating means the number of services provided. In different regions of Italy, hotels of the same category may differ slightly in the range of services. For example, in order to pay less tax, some hotel owners do not specifically increase the star rating of their establishment. At the same time, they provide services at a high level.

Many tourists are attracted to boarding houses - these are small, cozy family-type hotels that offer quality service and simple, but clean and comfortable rooms. It is worth considering that rooms located in ancient buildings, although they evoke romance, also involve some inconveniences - for example, insufficient daylight, noisy sewers. If you plan to stay in winter, check if there is central heating.

Rural tourism is also no less popular. There are more than 2000 villas, chalets and farms in Italy, where you will be offered reasonable prices, good service and excellent service. Rural boarding houses for lovers of agritourism - masserias - are very common.

For students and young people, the most suitable holiday would be to stay in hostels or university dormitories. In addition, it is also possible to spend the night in one of the monasteries in Italy. However, in the latter case, you will need to take into account the traditional way of life in monasteries.

In mountainous areas you can find many cottages and lodges, and in coastal resort areas there are many campsites. So you will be offered a place to park a van, a place for a tent or a small house for a family and a minimum set of amenities - sewerage, running water, electricity.

Italian cuisine is recognized not only as one of the best in the world, but also one of the most fashionable at present. And this is not surprising - it is distinguished by a wide variety of products and seasonings: vegetables, seafood, beef and lean pork, poultry, fruits and berries, cheese, legumes (beans, peas) and rice are used....

Tips

It is customary to leave 5-10% of the invoice amount. You can tip waiters, porters, taxi drivers, maids, etc.

Visa

Office hours

Standard store opening hours are from 9.30 to 13.00 and from 15.30-16.00 to 19.00-19.30 hours. On Sundays and half a day on one of the days in the middle of the week, stores are closed. Some department stores and supermarkets are also open on Sundays.

Banks are open from 8:30 to 13:00 and another hour after lunch (usually from 15:00 to 16:00), closed on Saturday and Sunday.

Most churches are open from early morning until 12 or 12.30, then they close for 2-3 hours, open again in the afternoon and stay open until 7 pm or even later. The main basilicas are open all day.

Museum opening hours vary from museum to museum and also depend on the time of year. Closed on Monday.

Safety

Beware of pickpockets at airports, train stations, public transport, museums and other public places. Never leave luggage unattended.

Emergency numbers

Carabinieri (military police) - 112
Police - 113
Fire protection - 115
Ambulance - 118, 113
Police in Rome - 06/4686
Ambulance in Rome - 06/5510

Questions and feedback about Italy

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